The role of information sources in farmers’ management of a worldwide alien agricultural pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Managing invasive alien species (IAS) is a significant challenge for both ecological and socioeconomic systems. Our understanding of the role of information sources in stakeholders’ IAS management is elusive for the majority of insect invaders. We focused on the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, one of the most damaging alien insects worldwide, to explore the role of information sources in farmers’ management of alien agricultural pests. We developed a theoretical framework containing three components and seven indicators, conducted extensive household questionnaires in the region bordering Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam in southwestern China, and used quantitative descriptions, ordinal logistic regressions, and Mann–Whitney U-tests in statistical analyses. Our results showed that farmers had a generally low level of recognition ability, medium level of control ability, and high level of engagement initiative in FAW management, and farmers’ FAW management was significantly associated with socio-demographic variables. Farmers obtained FAW-relevant information from four sources with a high preference for training workshops and agricultural retail stores; further, training workshops played a more effective role than agricultural retail stores in farmers’ FAW management. Here, we show for the first time that training workshops are the most effective sources of information in farmers’ FAW management, and agricultural retail stores serve as necessary support. Future research could extend these conclusions by including socioeconomic mechanisms such as informational feedback loops and public-private partnerships among stakeholders. Our findings contribute to theoretical insights into the role of information sources in IAS control, and to optimized management of alien agricultural pests.