Production Characteristics and Strategies for Adapting to the Impact of Climate Change on Cassava Whiteflies and Viruses in Tanzania

Oluwatosin Zacheus Aregbesola 1 , Veronica N Uzokwe 2 , Kolawole A Adeloye 3 , Carmelo Rapisarda 4 , Ole søgaard Lund 5 , Lene Sigsgaard 5 and James Peter Legg 2

1Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania CT 95123, Italy; Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København 1870, Denmark; International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar es Salaam 00000, Tanzania
2International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar es Salaam 00000, Tanzania
3Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220001, Nigeria
4Faculty of Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania CT 95123, Italy
5Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, København 1870, Denmark
Received: Sep 11, 2020 /
Revised: Aug 4, 2021 /
Published: Jun 18, 2021

Main Article Content

Full-Text | pdf

Abstract

Cassava is Africa’s most important food security crop and sustains about 700 million people globally. Survey interviews of 320 farmers in three regions of Tanzania to identify their production characteristics, and interviews with 20 international whitefly/virus experts were conductedto identify adaptation strategies to lessen the impacts of cassava whiteflies and viruses due to climate change in Tanzania. Structured and pre-tested interview schedules were conducted using a multistage sampling technique. Most of the farmers (66.8%) produced cassava primarily for food, and relied mainly on their friends (43.8%) and their farms (41.9%) for cassava planting materials. Farmers significantly differed in their socio-economic and production characteristics except for gender and access to extension support (P < 0.01). A significant association was found between extension support, sources of planting materials, and reasons for growing cassava with both the control of cassava viruses and the control of whiteflies by the farmers. A significantly higher number of farmers controlled cassava viruses (38.1%) than cassava whiteflies (19.7%). The adaptation strategies most recommended by experts were: integrating pest and disease management programs, phytosanitation, and applying novel vector management techniques.The experts also recommended capacity building through the training of stakeholders, establishing monitoring networks to get updates on cassava pests and disease statuses, incorporating pest and disease adaptation planning into the general agricultural management plans, and developing climate change-pest/disease models for accessing the local and national level impacts that can facilitate more specific adaptation planning in order to enhance the farmers’ adaptive capacities.

Keywords: Whiteflies, pest management, climate change, cassava

Article Details

How to Cite
Aregbesola, O., Uzokwe, V., Adeloye, K., Rapisarda, C., Lund, O., Sigsgaard, L., & Legg, J. (2021). Production Characteristics and Strategies for Adapting to the Impact of Climate Change on Cassava Whiteflies and Viruses in Tanzania. Vietnam Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 4(1), 921-935. https://doi.org/10.31817/vjas.2021.4.1.03

References

    Abdul-Razak M. & Kruse S. (2017). The adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to climate change in the Northern Region of Ghana. Climate Risk Management. 17:104-122.
    Adhikari U., Nejadhashemi A. P. & Woznicki S. A. (2015). Climate change and eastern Africa: A review of the impact on major crops. Food Energy Security. 4(2): 110-132.
    Alabi O. J., Kumar P. L. & Naidu R. A. (2011). Cassava mosaic disease: A curse to food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Online. APSnet Features. DOI:10.1094/APSnetFeature-2011-0701. Retrieved on July 13, 2020.
    Andersen J. R. (2017). Access to and benefit of agricultural extension in Tanzania a study from the Dodoma Region. Master Thesis University of Copenhagen (Denmark).
    Anderson P. K. & Morales F. J. (2005). Whitefly and whitefly-borneviruses in the tropics: Building a knowledge base for global action. Cali: Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT).
    Aregbesola O. Z. (2018). Understanding the potential impact of climate change on cassava-colonising whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). PhD thesis the University of Catania, (Italy) and University of Copenhagen (Denmark).
    Aregbesola O. Z., Legg J. P., Lund O. S., Sigsgaard L., Sporleder M., Carhuapoma P. & Rapisarda C. (2020). Life history and temperature-dependence of cassava-colonising population of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Journal of Pest Science. DOI: /10.1007/s10340-020-01249-z.
    Aregbesola O. Z., Legg J. P., Sigsgaard L., Lund O. S. & Rapisarda C. (2019). Potential impact of climate change on whiteflies and implications for the spread of vectored viruses. Journal of Pest Science. 92: 381-392.
    Asa U. A. & Uwem C. A. (2017). Utilization of mobile phones for agricultural purposes by farmers in Itu area, Nigeria. European Science Journal. 13(19): 1-8.
    Balama C., Augustino S., Eriksen S., Makonda F.S.B. & Amanzi N. (2013). Climate change adaptation strategies by local farmers in Kilombero district, Tanzania. Ethiopian Journal of Environment Studies and Management. 6: 1-13.
    Bellotti A., Campo B. V. H. & Hyman G. (2012). Cassava production and pest management: present and potential threats in a changing environment. Tropical Plant Biology. 5(1): 39-72.
    Brooks N. & Adger W.N. (2005). Assessing and enhancing adaptive capacity. In Adaptation Policy Frameworks for Climate Change: Developing Strategies, Policies and Measures. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 165-181.
    Campo B. V. H., Hyman G. & Bellotti A. (2011). Threats to cassava production: known and potential geographic distribution of four key biotic constraints. Food Security. 3(3): 329-345.
    Ceballos H., Ramirez J., Bellotti A. C., Jarvis A. & Alvarez E. (2011). Adaptation of cassava to changing climates. In: Yadav S. S., Redden R. J., Hatfield H. L., Lotze-Campen H. & Hall A. (Eds.). Crop Adaptation to Climate change. NewJersey: John Wiley and Sons: 411-425.
    Chongela J. (2015). Contribution of the agriculture sector to the Tanzania economy. American Journal of Research Communication. 3(7): 57-70.
    Dubern J. (1994). Transmission of African cassava mosaic geminivirus by the whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). Tropical Science. 34: 82-91.
    Fahim M. A., Hassanein M. K., Abolmaty S. M. & Fargalla F. H. (2013). Challenges to crop pests and livestock diseases management in irrigated African agroecosystems under a changing climate. Researcher. 5(12): 129-138.
    FAO - Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (2013). Cassava, A 21st-century crop. In Save and Grow: Cassava A guide to sustainable production intensification. Rome: FAO: 15-18.
    Gamarra H., Mujica N., Carhuapoma P., Kreuze J. & Kroschel J. (2016). Sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius 1889) (Biotype B). In: Kroschel J., Mujica N., Carhuapoma P. & Sporleder M. (Eds.). Pest distribution and risk atlas for Africa. Potential global and regional distribution and abundance of agricultural and horticultural pests and associated biocontrol agents under current and future climates. International Potato Center (CIP): 85‐99. DOI: /10.4160/9789290604761‐7.
    Ghini R., Hamada E., Angelotti F., Costa L. B. & Bettiol W. (2012). Research approaches, adaptation strategies, and knowledge gaps concerning the impacts of climate change on plant diseases. Tropical Plant Pathology. 37(1): 5-24.
    Houngue J. A., Pita J. S., Todjro G. H., Zandjanakou-Tachin M., Abidjo E. A. E. &Ahanhanzo C. (2018). Survey of farmers’ knowledge of cassava mosaic disease and their preferences for cassava cultivars in three agro-ecological zones in Benin. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 14: 29. DOI: /10.1186/s13002-018-0228-5.
    Howden S. M., Soussana J., Tubiello F. N., Chhetri N., Dunlop M. & Meinke H. (2007). Adapting agriculture to climate change. Proceeding National Academy of Science. 104(50): 19691-19696.
    Jarvis A., Ramirez-Villegas J., Campo B. V. H. & Navarro-Racines C. (2012). Is cassava the answer to African climate change adaptation? Tropical Plant Biology. 5(1): 9-29.
    Jones R. A. C. (2009). Plant virus emergence and evolution: Origins, new encounter scenarios, factors driving emergence, effects of changing world conditions, and prospects for control. Virus Research. 141(2): 113-130.
    Juroszek P. & von Tiedemann A. (2011). Potential strategies and future requirements for plant disease management under a changing climate. Plant Pathology. 60(1): 100-112.
    Juroszek P. & von Tiedemann A. (2015). Linking plant disease models to climate change scenarios to project future risks of crop diseases: a review. Journal of Plant Disease Protection. 122(1): 3-15.
    Kalaris T., Fieselmann D., Magarey R., Colunga-Garcia M., Roda A., Hardie D., Cogger N., Hammond N., Martin P. A. T. & Whittle P. (2014). The role of surveillance methods and technologies in plant biosecurity. In: Gordh G. & McKirdy S. (Eds.). The Handbook of Plant Biosecurity. Germany: Springer.
    Kissoly L., Faße A. & Grote U. (2018). Implications of smallholder farm production diversity for household food consumption diversity: insights from diverse agro-ecological and market access contexts in rural Tanzania. Horticulturae. 4: 14. DOI: /10.3390/horticulturae 4030014.
    Kroschel J., Mujica N., Carhuapoma P., Juarez H., Okonya J., Le B. & Hanna R. (2014). Adaptation to pest risks under future climates in Africa. Lima (Peru). CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB). RTB Workshop Report.
    Komba C. & Muchapondwa E. (2018). Adaptation to climate change by smallholder farmers in Tanzania. In: Berck C. S., Berck P.& Di Falco S. (Eds.). Agricultural adaptation to climate change in Africa. Food security in a changing environment. UK: Taylor and Francis: 40.
    Krone M., Schumacher K.P. & Dannenberg P. (2014). The impact of mobile phones on knowledge access and transfer of small scale horticultural farmers in Tanzania. DIE ERDE. 145(3): 158-161.
    Legg J., Okonya J., & Coyne D. (2017). Integrated management of root and tuber crops in the Tropics. In: Rapisarda C. & Coccuzza G. M. (Eds.). Integrated Pest Management in Tropical Regions. UK: CAB International: 90-112.
    Legg J. P., Kumar P. L., Makeshkumar T., Tripathi L., Ferguson M., Kanju E., Pheneas N. & Cuellar W. (2015). Cassava Virus Diseases: Biology, Epidemiology, and Management. Advances in Virus Research. 91: 85-142.
    Legg J. P., Shirima R., Tajebe L. S., Guastella D., Boniface S., Jeremiah S. C., Nsami E., Chikoti P. & Rapisarda C. (2014b). Biology and management of Bemisiawhitefly vectors of cassava virus pandemics in Africa. Pest Management Science. 70: 1446-1453.
    Legg J. P., Sseruwagi P., Boniface S., Okao-Okuja G., Shirima R., Bigirimana S., Gashaka G., Herrmann H. W., Jeremiah S., Obiero H. & Ndyetabula I. (2014a). Spatio-temporal patterns of genetic change amongst populations of cassava Bemisia tabaci whiteflies driving virus pandemics in East and Central Africa. Virus Research. 186: 61-75.
    Legg J. P. & Fauquet C. M. (2004). Cassava mosaic geminiviruses in Africa. Plant Molecular Biology. 56(4): 585-599.
    Legg J. P. & Raya M. (1998). A survey of cassava virus diseases in Tanzania. International Journal of Pest Management. 44: 17-23.
    Lobell D. B., Burke M. B., Tebaldi C., Mastrandrea M. D., Falcon W. P. & Naylor R. L. (2008). Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptation Needs for Food Security in 2030. Science. 319: 607-610.
    Lyimo J. G., Ngana J. O., Liwenga E. & Maganga F. (2013). Climate change, impacts and adaptations in the coastal communities in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania. Environmental Economics. 4(1): 63-71.
    Macfadyen S., McDonald G. & Hill M. P. (2018). From species distributions to climate change adaptation: Knowledge gaps in managing invertebrate pests in broad-acre grain crops. Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment. 253: 208-219.
    Makate C., Wang R., Makate M. & Mango N. (2016). Crop diversification and livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe: adaptive management for environmental change. SpringerPlus 5(1): 1135. DOI: /10.1186/s40064-016-2802-4.
    Maruthi M. N., Hillocks R .J., Mtunda K., Raya M. D., Muhanna M., Kiozia H., Rekha A. R., Colvin J. & Thresh J. M. (2005). Transmission of cassava brown streak virus by Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Journal of Phytopathology. 153: 307-312.
    Mary A. L. & Majule A. E. (2009). Impacts of climate change, variability and adaptation strategies on agriculture in semi-arid areas of Tanzania: The case of Manyoni District in Singida Region, Tanzania. African Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 3(8): 206-218.
    Niang I., Ruppel O. C., Abdrabo M. A., Essel A., Lennard C., Padgham J. & Urquhart, P. (2014). Africa. In: Barros V. R., Field C. B., Dokken D. J., Mastrandrea M. D., Mach K. J., Bilir T. E., Chatterjee M., Ebi K. L., EstradaY. O., Genova R. C., Girma B., Kissel E. S., Levy A. N., MacCrackenS., Mastrandrea P. R. &White L. L. (Eds.). Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability. Part B: Regional Aspects. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 1199-1265). Cambridge and New York, USA: Cambridge University Press.
    Neuenschwander P., Borgemeister C. & Langewald J. (2003). Biological control in IPM systems in Africa. Wallingford: CAB International.
    Ndyetabula I. L., Merumba S. M., Jeremiah S. C., Kasele S., Mkamilo G. S., Kagimbo F. M. & Legg J. P. (2016). Analysis of interactions between cassava brown streak disease symptom types facilitates the determination of varietal responses and yield losses. Plant Disease. 100(7): 1388-1396.
    Oleke J. M., Isinika A., Manyong V., Hanna R. & Sabelis M. (2012). Farmers' perception of coconut mite damage and crop diversification alternatives in the coastal belt of Tanzania. International Journal of Acarology. 38(6). DOI: /10.1080/01647954.2012.682093.
    Olsen W. (2004). Triangulation in social research: Quantitative and qualitative methods can really be mixed. In H.M. Ormskirk (ed). Development in Sociology. Causeway Press: United Kingdom: 103-118.
    Omolehin R. A., Ogunfiditim T. O. & Adeniji O. B. (2007). Factors influencing the adoption of chemical pest control in cowpea production among rural farmers in Makarfi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agricultural Research. 2(11): 920-928.
    Osei M. K., Taah K. J., Berchie J. N. & Osei C. K. (2009). A survey of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) planting materials in storage: A case study in two communities in the Ejisu District of Ashanti Region, Ghana. Journal of Agronomy. 8: 137-140.
    Osumanu I. K., Aniah P. & Yelfaanibe A. (2017). Determinants of adaptive capacity to climate change among smallholder rural households in the Bongo District, Ghana. Ghana Journal of Development Studies. 14(2): 1-22.
    Oyekanmi A. A. & Okeleye K. A. (2007). Cassava production systems across some agro-ecological zones in South West North West Axis of Nigeria. Asian Journal of Plant Science 6: 158-162.
    Salaudeen M. T., Adama C. J., Abdullahi A. A., Ayeleke D. A. & Ibrahim A. D. (2016). Climate change and viral diseases in relation to crop productivity and food security: A review. International Journal of Applied Biology Research. 7(1): 56-65.
    Smit B., Pilifosova O., Burton I., Challenger B., Huq S., Klein R. J. T., Yohe G., Adger N., Downing T., Harvey E., Kane S., Parry M., Skinner M., Smith J., Wandel J., Patwardhan A. & Soussana J. F. (2001). Adaptation to climate change in the context of sustainable development and equity. In: McCarthy J. J., Canziani O. F., Leary N. A., Dokken D. J. & White K. S. (Eds.). Climate change 2001: impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press: 877-912.
    The URT-United Republic of Tanzania (2012a). National sample census of agriculture 2007/2008 smallholder agriculture volume II: crop sector – national report. Tanzania: Government of Tanzania.
    URT (2012b). National sample census of agriculture 2007/2008 volume VG: regional report: – Dar es Salaam Region. Tanzania: Government of Tanzania.
    Uwagboe E. O., Akibile L. A., Oduwole O. O. (2012). Socio-economic factors and integrated pest management utilization among cocoa farmers in Edo State. Academic Journal of Plant Science. 5(1): 7-11.