Farmers' perception on the importance of variegated grasshopper (<it>Zonocerus variegatus </it>(L.)) in the agricultural production systems of the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon

• Main Authors: Messi Jean, Weise Stephan, Kekeunou Sévilor, Tamò Manuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2006-03-01
• Series: Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine
• Online Access: http://www.ethnobiomed.com/content/2/1/17

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Zonocerus variegatus </it>(Linnaeus, 1758) (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae) is known as an agricultural pest in West and Central Africa. However, its importance in the agricultural production system in Cameroon has not been investigated. The study assesses farmers' perception on the importance of <it>Z. variegatus </it>in the agricultural production systems of the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Research was carried out in 5 villages of each of three Agro-Ecological, Cultural and Demographic Blocks (AECD-Blocks) of the Forest Margin Benchmark Area (FMBA). In each village, a semi-structured survey was used; male and female groups of farmers were interviewed separately.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><it>Z. variegatus </it>is present throughout the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon, where it is ranked as the third most economically important insect pest of agriculture. In the farmers' opinion, <it>Z. variegatus </it>is a polyphagous insect with little impact on young perennial crops. The length of the pre-farming fallow does not affect <it>Z. variegatus </it>pest pressure in the following crops. The increased impact of the grasshopper observed today in the fields, compared to what existed 10 years ago is as a result of deforestation and increase in surface of herbaceous fallow. The damage caused by <it>Z. variegatu</it>s is higher in fields adjacent to <it>C. odorata </it>and herbaceous fallows than in those adjacent to forests and shrubby fallows. The fight against this grasshopper is often done through physical methods carried out by hand, for human consumption. The farmers highlight low usage of the chemical methods and a total absence of biological and ecological methods.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Farmers' perception have contributed to understanding the status of <it>Z. variegatus </it>in the humid forest zone of Southern Cameroon. The results are in general similar to those obtained in other countries.</p>