Farmers' preferences for eco-friendly nets as an alternative to insecticides in Africa

Vegetable production in Africa is highly dependent on pesticides with a large proportion of the population involved in farming. We investigate if eco-friendly nets (EFNs) are a viable and accepted alternative to farmer's current practice of extreme use of insecticides in vegetable production. Using a choice experiment, we found that farmers in Benin preferred all of the characteristics of EFNs except the higher labor requirements. The break-even point can vary with the lifespan of EFNs, their purchase price and potential health benefits from avoiding large quantities of insecticides. To break even the nets need to be used for at least two production cycles. To overcome risk-averse farmer's reluctance to adopt EFNs we propose a credit and warranty scheme along with the purchase of the nets. The study's findings can guide the implementation of EFNs in other African countries as part of integrated pest management with global benefits for the environment and health by reducing the use of pesticides.