Divergent knowledge and perceptions of insects by organic and non-organic farming in the Ecuadorian Andes

Given the critical role of insects in agriculture, studying farmers’ knowledge of entomofauna and its links to crop management is essential. This study explores how such knowledge, in combination with current farming contexts, can shape the barriers and levers of integrated pest and pollinator manag...

Celý popis

Uloženo v:
Podrobná bibliografie
Vydáno v:Agriculture and human values Ročník 42; číslo 3; s. 2093 - 2109
Hlavní autoři: Cardenas, Tatiana, Teixidor-Toneu, Irene, Navarrete, Israel, Montufar, Rommel, Dangles, Olivier
Médium: Journal Article
Jazyk:angličtina
Vydáno: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.09.2025
Springer Nature B.V
Springer Verlag
Témata:
ISSN:0889-048X, 1572-8366
On-line přístup:Získat plný text
Tagy: Přidat tag
Žádné tagy, Buďte první, kdo vytvoří štítek k tomuto záznamu!
Popis
Shrnutí:Given the critical role of insects in agriculture, studying farmers’ knowledge of entomofauna and its links to crop management is essential. This study explores how such knowledge, in combination with current farming contexts, can shape the barriers and levers of integrated pest and pollinator management to design pollinator-friendly farming systems. We used mixed methods combining ethnoecological and entomological approaches—including field observations, free lists, and semi-structured interviews—to study the diversity of local agricultural insects and farmers’ knowledge in smallholder farming systems in the Ecuadorian Andes and to assess their perceptions and management of agricultural entomofauna. Our results show that organic farmers recognize and categorize more taxa, especially pollinators, than farmers using pesticides who focus more on taxa considered pests and their harmful functions. Our findings highlight the need for a refined approach of integrated pest and pollinator management, recognizing the diversity of roles insects play in agroecosystems. Strengthening awareness among farmers requires not only bridging gaps between scientific and local knowledge but also promoting a greater emphasis on coexistence with insects rather than solely managing them for their functions. By recognizing diverse knowledge systems, our study underscores the urgency of integrating them to ensure more sustainable agriculture in smallholder contexts.
Bibliografie:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
ObjectType-Feature-2
content type line 14
ISSN:0889-048X
1572-8366
DOI:10.1007/s10460-025-10755-8