Awareness and control practice of farmers about rodents as crop pests in Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

A community based cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess knowledge, attitude and practice of
farmers about rodent pest control in two districts: Sekoru (Jimma Zone) and Gechi (Illubabor Zone) of
Oromia National Regional State, southwest Ethiopia. Structured questionnaire was used to collect
information and 480 randomly selected farmers (240 farmers from each district) were involved in the study.
Farmers in the two districts rated rodents as very important pests followed by nematodes. A significant
number of farmers reported the regular occurrence of rodent pest outbreak. Among crops grown in the
two districts, farmers listed maize (Zea mays) the crop most susceptible to rodent depredation followed by
barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum species). Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) was the crop least
susceptible to the rodent attack. Farmers in the two districts perform rodent control activities during
ripening stage and after harvest and most of them use only one kind of rodent pest control method. Most
farmers believe that rodent pests can be controlled and rodent pest control is important. Majority of the
farmers reported that rodent pests can significantly reduce crop yield and rodent pests can be effectively
controlled if farmers work together with other farmers. Most of them also believe that rodent pest should
be controlled at all stages of crop growth and after harvest. Rodent pest control all growth stages of crops,
use of more than one control method, cooperative work in rodent control and further ecological study on
the rodent pests were recommended