Through this survey we have been able to greatly improve knowledge and understanding on pest rodents occurring occurring in representative agroecosystems of the partners countries, especially to understand the magnitude of rodent inflicted damage to pre- and post-harvest crops and to understand the management practices from both the demand and supply side. So in short, what can we conclude?
- Magnitude of rodent damage across the board largely ranges from an occasional to serious problem for most farmers. And it is clearly focused on a few of the crops that are production mainstays, such as tomatoes and wheat.
- In all the countries there is a large reliance on chemical rodenticides, and although it is generally said by input providers and shop owners that they are satisfied with these products, they also by vast majority indicate that there is a need for alternative products, for example organic rodenticides. While the need for such alternative rodent control products is recognized, and farmers are ready to try alternative methods, the availability of alternative methods lag behind.
- The large majority of farmers and input suppliers is interested in alternative non-chemical methods for rodent control, such as organic ways of control. Though knowledge of organic plants with rodenticide potential is hardly available, only in Turkey there is traditional knowledge around this topic.
