beating the borerIn 2002 the World Bank lifted sanctions on the international trade of coffee, enabling any country to grow and sell coffee without restriction. Very soon the amount of coffee produced increased drastically, causing supply to outweigh demand.

As a result coffee prices plummeted. The situation worsened when widespread drought – caused by climate change – disrupted the equilibrium of the coffee growing cycle and millions of farmers were plunged into poverty.

Because of the crisis, many farmers in India, Malawi and Zimbabwe found they could no longer afford the pest management techniques that kept away the pests and diseases threatening their crops.

The incidence of pests like the Coffee Berry Borer and the Coffee White Stem Borer, along with Leaf Rust and Coffee Wilt Disease, rose dramatically. Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before many farmers found they were losing too many crops to guarantee their incomes and so had to diversify away from just growing coffee.

Mr Rajesh, a smallholder farmer from Sunti Koppa, India said:

“When the crisis started I had no choice but to grow other crops such as vanilla, jack fruit and bananas in order to keep my income… I also had to sell some of my trees for timber during the worst period.”

so what’s the problem?The White Stem Borer is a native longhorn beetle, which invades the lucrative coffee crop, arabica. It is thought to be the most serious threat to coffee plantations worldwide.

The White Stem Borer bores into the outer layers of the trunk of coffee trees and kills the tree at the root, unlike many pests which only affect the yield of the crop. This is particularly devastating for farmers, as the tree takes at least five years to yield a full crop.

what did CABI do?CABI was asked to work with coffee farmers, research and extension workers in India, Zimbabwe and Malawi to:

establish the full impact of the borer

understand the reasons why current control methods weren’t working

explore new ways of controlling the borer

The project identified that in the African countries, the annual loss of coffee trees from the borer is approximately two million US dollars. In India, the estimated loss is much higher at ten million US dollars. Interestingly, it also revealed that current control methods, when used correctly, are effective in keeping numbers below livelihood-threatening levels. The problem has been the lack of farmer knowledge on how to effectively implement control measures.

To address this, the project set up a number of Farmer Field Schools to train farmers how best to manage the borer. Effective tracing (a method of checking trees for borers, and uprooting and burning them if infected), the importance of a two tier shading system (the borers like the sun) and the effective use of pheromone traps, were all techniques taught to farmers.

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KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE

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contactScience Director, CABI South Asia – India c/o. CABI Europe – UK, Silwood Park, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berskshire, SL5 7TA, UK T: +44 (0)1491 829129 F: +44 (0)1491 829123 E: europe-uk@cabi.org

results so farThe Farmer Field Schools have educated and empowered over 3000 farmers in India, 2200 in Malawi and around 1000 in Zimbabwe.

successes in India

The project identified the effectiveness of using pheromone traps, a new technology which lures borers to a trap using mating scents. Farmers using them have reported impressive success rates, with up to 64% of the existing borer population being caught and eradicated in some areas. A similar technology is under investigation in Africa.

Mr B.S Shivashankar, a smallholder from the Belur estate, Somwarpet, Kodagu District is an advocate of the traps:

“For three years I have been using pheromone traps in my estate and as a result the incidence of borer is extremely low… I believe the traps are the best remedy for the borer menace.”

successes in Malawi and Zimbabwe

A fungus called Beauveria bassiana, which is commonly found in soil has been identified as a potential control method for the borer. If applied at larvae stage, the fungus is reported to have a 100% success rate in culling the pest. However, it is not effective once the borer becomes an adult and so timely application is essential.

what next?The White Stem Borer project has been effective in sowing the seeds of understanding among farmers, extension workers and governments about how best to control the deadly borer. Thanks to the Farmer Field Schools and the pheromone traps, many farmers are now equipped with the essential knowledge, skills and technologies needed to protect their trees.

However, if we are to beat the borer, this good work must not stop. Research into better and more efficient technologies must continue, and the momentum of training, educating and empowering farmers must not slow.

Mr Rajesh says: “I believe that if the project had not started, I would have given up growing arabica coffee a long time ago.”

partners

Central Coffee Research Station, Chikmagalur, Karnataka, India Lunyangwa Research Station Malawi and Chipinge Research Institute, Zimbabwe National Resources Institute (NRI) Natural Resources Institute UK

project team

Dr Sean Murphy (CABI) Dr Noah Phiri (CABI) Dr Charles Agwanda (CABI) Martin Kimani (CABI)

dates of project 2002 – June 2007

sponsors

Common Fund for Commodities (CFC), International Coffee Organisation (ICO)

Dr Sean Murphy, Project manager, CABI