The project aims to develop, extend and disseminate the alternative pest control technologies through Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and assess their impact in Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Senegal. The specific objectives are to build the capacity and assess farmers and consumers awareness and perceptions on chemical residues in vegetable products. The study assesses the willingness to pay for farmers and consumers for botanical extracts and organic vegetables respectively. It evaluates the competitiveness and potential market niches for bio-pesticides and organic vegetable in West Africa and potential private sector interest in mass production of bio-pesticides at small-scale level. A key achievement for the project will be its contribution to a safe environment by raising public awareness about pesticide misuse through capacity building of the extension agents, vegetable producers, merchants and consumers. The research project shall provide the basis for comprehensive development interventions aimed at further developing the emerging organic agriculture sector in West Africa.
Through this action research project, the consortium will identify means to best scale-out market oriented organic agriculture from group to association level within sub-counties in Uganda. Research will assess the likely impact of large scale conversion to organic agriculture on natural resources, income and livelihood security in general. This information shall support project stakeholders and partners (farmer communities, NGOs, local government) in developing full scaling-out strategies to sub-county (and subsequently to district) level. Research will also be conducted on how to best integrate farmer groups at higher level. The main expected users of the information generated and the strategies developed comprise farmers, development NGOs and local governments (notably the production departments, the district planning departments, and agricultural extension departments within partner districts).