Abstract:
Xanthomonas wilt is a major constraint to banana production in the East and Central Africa. The disease can cause up to 100% yield losses if proper management strategies are not well implemented. Understanding of the disease status in terms of its prevalence, driving factors and farmers’ knowledge provides insights towards a sustainable management approach. The fact that the highest percentage of farmers in Uganda specifically Eastern Uganda are banana growers, there was need to investigate about the disease status and farmers’ knowledge about it because the disease has adversely affected banana production in the area. This study was therefore initiated to assess farmers’ knowledge on the identification, spread and control strategies of the disease. Three parishes of Bunabutiti, Bubungi and Bungoro were sampled purposively. Out of the three parishes, a total of thirty farmers were sampled taking ten farmers from each parish. In this research, both primary and secondary data sources comprising of qualitative and quantitative data types were utilised. The data was collected by use of questionnaires which involved interviewing the selected farmers. The data was then presented, analysed and discussed. The results of the study indicated that at least all the farmers sampled acquired some level of education hence there were no illiterates. There were more male farmers with a percentage of 67 and females 33. Also the majority of the farmers were married with a percentage of 80. Many of the farmers practice farming on less than an acre of land and the majority are commercial banana growers. The study also indicated that who had more knowledge on identification of the disease correspondingly had more knowledge on the control strategies of the disease and had few cases of the cases. Farmers from so remote areas like Bungoro were more ignorant about the disease yet had most of the cases of the disease. The study therefore recommended sensitisation programs about the disease to go deep and reach the very remote areas of the district so as to sensitise our farmers about the disease identification, spread and effective control strategies. It was also concluded that to effectively control the disease, all the control measures or strategies must be taken as a set and implemented collectively without fail.
