Abstract
Production of Napier grass, Pennisetum purpureum , the most important livestock fodder in Western Kenya, is severely constrained by Napier stunt (Ns) disease. Understanding farmers' knowledge, perceptions and practices is a prerequisite to establishing an effective disease management approach. Using a random sample of 150 farmers drawn from Bungoma, Busia and Teso districts of Western Kenya, this study sought to: (i) assess farmers' perceptions and knowledge of Ns disease, including its effects on the smallholder dairy industry; (ii) record farmers' current practices in managing Ns disease; and (iii) identify Ns disease management challenges and intervention opportunities in order to develop an efficient integrated disease management approach. The majority (86·7%) of the farmers were aware of Ns disease and observed that it was spreading rapidly in the region, which was perfectly predicted by farmers' access to agricultural information (marginal effect = 0·164), indicating a need for extension platforms for knowledge sharing among the industry stakeholders. The disease had affected Napier grass yields so most farmers could not feed their livestock on the amounts they produced, and they were buying Napier grass. Those who relied on income from selling Napier grass received less due to loss in productivity. Milk production had reduced by over 35%. The cause of the disease was unknown to the farmers, with no effective disease management strategy available to them. An integrated disease management approach needs to be developed to fit within the mixed farming systems, supported by simple decision aids.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Most surveyed farmers were aware of Napier stunt disease.
- Taxon
- Napier grass
.jpg?width=60)
Cenchrus purpureust0 - Outcome
- farmers were aware of Ns diseasee0
- Value
- 86·7%e0
- Setting
- Western Kenyat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“The majority (86·7%) of the farmers were aware of Ns disease”
t0“Napier grass in Western Kenya”
Claim · model-written summary
Farmers reported rapid regional spread of Napier stunt disease.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureust0
- Outcome
- spreading rapidly in the regione0
- Setting
- Western Kenyat0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“observed that it was spreading rapidly in the region”
t0“Napier grass in Western Kenya”
Claim · model-written summary
Access to agricultural information predicted awareness of disease spread.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureust0
- Outcome
- perfectly predictede0
- Value
- 0·164e0
- Qualifier
- farmers’ access to agricultural informatione0
- Setting
- Western Kenyat0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“which was perfectly predicted by farmers’ access to agricultural information (marginal effect = 0·164)”
t0“Napier grass in Western Kenya”
Claim · model-written summary
Napier stunt disease reduced Napier grass yields.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureuse0
- Treatment
- The diseasee0
- Outcome
- Napier grass yieldse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The disease had affected Napier grass yields”
Claim · model-written summary
Most farmers could not feed livestock from their own Napier grass production and bought additional grass.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureuse0
- Outcome
- could not feed their livestock on the amounts they producede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“most farmers could not feed their livestock on the amounts they produced, and they were buying Napier grass”
Claim · model-written summary
Sellers received less income after productivity loss.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureuse0
- Outcome
- income from selling Napier grasse0
- Direction
- lesse0
- Qualifier
- loss in productivitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Those who relied on income from selling Napier grass received less due to loss in productivity”
Claim · model-written summary
Milk production fell by over 35%.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureust0
- Outcome
- Milk productione0
- Direction
- reducede0
- Value
- over 35%e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Milk production had reduced by over 35%”
t0“Napier grass”
Claim · model-written summary
Farmers did not know the disease cause and had no effective management strategy.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureust0
- Outcome
- cause of the disease was unknown to the farmers, with no effective disease management strategy available to theme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The cause of the disease was unknown to the farmers, with no effective disease management strategy available to them”
t0“Napier grass”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend an integrated disease management approach suited to mixed farming with simple decision aids.
- Taxon
- Napier grassCenchrus purpureust0
- Outcome
- An integrated disease management approach needs to be developed to fit within the mixed farming systems, supported by simple decision aidse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“An integrated disease management approach needs to be developed to fit within the mixed farming systems, supported by simple decision aids”
t0“Napier grass”