FARM for BiodiversityDavid Banda and Stephanie Enloe

Research Questions

• How do agroecological farming practices affect crop pest, beneficial insect, and bird populations across the landscape and farm scales?

• What are farmers’ perceptions of agricultural biodiversity in northern Malawi?

Project Objectives

• Understand how agroecological farming influences biodiversity

• Learn from farmer knowledge about pests and beneficials

• Train farmers to use biological research methods

• Devise new pest management strategiesPhoto by Shakespeare Chikoza, Mlimo

Biological Surveys

Bird, bee, and pest damage surveys

On 96 farms across 6 village areas

Farmer researchers completed data collection

January – June 2018

Photovoice Interviews

• Camera trainings for 45 farmers – January 2018

• Prompt: “Take photos of birds, animals, insects, and landscapes that affect food security or well being”

• Farmers took photos then discussed during interviews (n = 42)

Patrick MoyoGloria PhiriWackson MaonaTiziwengi Nyirenda

Workshops• June and July 2018

• Planned by farmer and Cornell researchers

• Discussed agroecology, pest ID and management, beneficials, and botanical pesticides

• Allowed farmers to share knowledge with others from village area and from those from other village areas

Botanical Trials

• Growing season 2019

• 36 farmers testing tephrosia, vernonia, and tithonia as botanical pesticides

• Farmer researchers collecting data on pest damage

Photo of Agnes Tembo, farmer researcher

Early Survey Findings

• Preliminary analysis:• Higher rates of agroecological practice use reduces pest damage on maize, landscape

scale findings

• Higher percentage of maize damage on farms with synthetic pesticides, farm scale findings

Maize Damage

Early results = maize damage higher on farms using synthetic pesticides

0=no synthetic pesticides1= used synth pesticides

Maize damage lower in areas with more MAFFA

GLMMP=0.0314

Interview Findings

• Collected details on worst pests

• Few details on beneficials

• Uneven knowledge within and across communities

Workshops

• Botanical trials came out of workshops

• Unexpected outcome – bridging barriers between MAFFA and non-MAFFA

Botanical Trials

• Ongoing, so not data analysis

• Farmers report benefits from tithonia and vernonia (pest management and soil fertility)

Photo of Jane Salanda, farmer researcher

Next Steps: FARMS for Biodiversity

• Additional biological surveys

• Sociological research on knowledge politics and biodiversity

• Participatory mapping and scenario planning

• Multi-actor Platforms

• Planned workshops

Collaborators

• Drs. Rachel Bezner Kerr and Aaron Iverson (Cornell University)• Laifolo Dakishoni, Esther Lupafya, Mercy Lupafya, Paul Dakishoni, Chimwemwe

Ndau, Lizzie Shumba (SFHC)• Esther Maona, Towera Nyasulu, Tapiwa Mkandawire, Mwapi Mkandawire, Innocent

Mhone, Pressings Moyo, Aaron Moyo, Rodgers Msachi, Anita Chitaya (SFHC)• Wackson Maona, Peter Banda, Chancy Msangu, Agnes Tembo, Oliet Nyasulu

(SFHC)• Dr. Isaac Luginaah (Western University), Dr. Hanson Nyantakyi Frimpong

(University of Denver), Catherine Hickey (Western University)