Agroecological farming practices against fruit flies in Central Eastern Tanzania

Introduction - The impact of farming systems on crop production is one of the most crucial topics to concentrate on because it might affect the yield attained by farmers. Management of Tephritid flies by agroecological farming methods is becoming a preferred option. However, awareness and level of application of these methods are low in most parts of Tanzania. The objective of the current study was to establish the application status of agroecological farming practices on the management of fruit flies pests among small-holder cucurbit farmers. Materials and methods - Surveys were conducted in Central Eastern Zone, Tanzania, using a semi-structured questionnaire to determine knowledge and awareness on fruit fly pests and agroecological farming methods. Contingency chi-square tests and Generalized Linear Model was used to analyze the data. Results and discussion - A total of 138 cucurbit growers participated in the survey. We found that 63% of farmers applied synthetic insecticides, 27.5% employed agroecological farming methods while 9.4% did not control pests. Agroecological farming methods used against fruit flies were spot application of baits (26.3%), weeding (26.3%), orchard sanitation (23.7%), bio fencing (13.2%), application of biopesticides (5.3%), early harvesting (2.6%) and mulching (2.6%). Experience in cucurbit production significantly determined awareness (p=0.015) and choice (p<0.001) of the agroecological farming method. Awareness on fruit flies' infestation significantly varied with experience (p<0.0001), education (p<0.05) and cucurbit crop grown (p<0.05). Up to 82.6% of farmers were willing to switch to agroecological farming methods if they were trained. Conclusion - Raising awareness and providing training will increase the adoption of agroecological farming methods. Sustainable farming systems will provide enough healthy food for all while minimizing negative environmental effects and allowing farmers to earn a profit.