A comparative assessment on rodent impacts and cultural perceptions of ecologically based rodent management in three Afro-Malagasy farming regions
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Date
2020
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International Society of Zoological Sciences
Abstract
Rodents generate negative consequences for smallholder farmers in Africa that directly impact
household and livestock damage, food security and public health. Ecologically Based Rodent
Management (EBRM) seeks sustainable solutions for the mitigation of rodent damage through
assessments of rodent population dynamics, agro-ecosystems and socio-cultural contexts. We adopt a
comparative approach across three rural Afro-Malagasy smallholder farming regions in South Africa,
Tanzania and Madagascar to assess the household impacts of rodent pests and current perceptions and
preferences associated with several rodent control measures. We conducted focus groups
questionnaires and interviews in different study site locations. Rodents assert multiple impacts on
Afro-Malagasy farmers demonstrating recurrent and emerging agricultural and household costs, and
public health impacts. We identify a significant knowledge gap in educating communities about the
application of different EBRM approaches in favour of acute poisons that are perceived to be more
effective. Cultural issues and taboos also have a significant impact on the social acceptance of rodent
hunting as well as biological control using indigenous predators. We advocate for an enhanced
investigation of the socio-cultural beliefs associated with different rodent practices to understand the
factors underlying social acceptance. A collaborative approach that integrates the perspectives of
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Ecologically Based Rodent Management, Crop Damage, Farmer Survey, Beliefs, Africa
Citation
This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as doi: 10.1111/1749-4877.12447