Farmers’ Expertise, a Resource to Improve Sustainability; The Case of Pesticide Application in Shallots in Brebes, Central Java

Abstract

This poster presents the methodology and results of a case-study on insecticide application practices in shallots (Allium cepa) in the district of Brebes, Central Java. A set of key figures is applied to show and explain the differences in insecticide use between plots, seasons and control strategies. The methodology contained group discussions with farmers on the control of onion caterpillars (Spodoptera exigua) coupled with a monitoring system for pesticide application. The farmers distinguished physical control and chemical control. For chemical control they made distinction between preventive and curative insecticides. The mix of these elements depended on the pest incidence. As a result the insecticide costs in the dry season were four times higher than in the wet season. In villages with priority for chemical control the insecticide costs were twice as high as in the village with priority for physical control.