SOCIOECONOMIC CONSTRAINTS TO THE ADOPTION OF WEED-CONTROL TECHNIQUES - THE CASE OF STRIGA CONTROL IN THE WEST-AFRICAN SEMIARID TROPICS

Striga control methods have been developed to alleviate labour constra ints yet smallholder farmers in the West African Semi-Arid Tropics hav e been unsuccessful in adopting them. One reason for the low adoption has been the non-availability of economically feasible and effective t echniques that are adapted to local conditions. This paper suggests fu rther constraints, namely the lack of relevant information, e.g. on th e economic threshold level that could guide Striga control decision ma king, and the present land tenure system (where individuals only have usufruct rights to land), as other factors limiting the large-scale ad option of Striga control methods in the region. It suggests an approac h based on a collective understanding of the problem and collective ac tion for controlling Striga in the context of the present land tenure system.