Action against invasive species: Knowledge, effect and behavioural drivers of fall armyworm management

Abstract

We examine the effect of the invasive insect, fall armyworm (FAW) on maize production, smallholder commercialization, labour allocation, and livestock, highlighting knowledge about FAW and their infestation levels. We also investigate the control strategies used in managing this damaging pest and its drivers with a view on behavioural factors such as aspirations, self-efficacy, and locus of control. Using a farm household dataset from Kenya and employing different empirical strategies, we show that 95 % of farmers are aware of and correctly identify FAW, with an infestation level of about 75 %. These high infestation levels have a negative effect (25 and 23 %) on maize production and commercialization respectively. FAW infestation also positively affects labour allocation which is reflected in the various management practices used by farmers: biological, cultural control, and pesticides which are used by almost 80 % of farmers. We establish significant substitutability between pesticide use and biological as well as cultural control methods. We further show a positive association between aspirations and pesticide use (0.9 percentage points). In the same vein, we also find a positive (negative) association between internal (external) locus of control and pesticide use. Overall, we document the importance of behavioural factors for invasive pest management.