Factors Influencing the Adoption of Traditional and Orthodox Methods of Pests Control Among Vegetable Farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Pests remain a crucial challenge for vegetable farmers in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, necessitating evaluation of traditional and Orthodox methods of pest control. Utilizing survey data from 120 vegetable farmers—60 practicing indigenous pest control methods and 60 relying on modern techniques. The findings reveal a significant gender disparity, with 65.00% of indigenous method users and 61.67% of modern method users being female. The farming experience was 45.00% years for indigenous farmers and 50.00% years for modern farmers, highlighting a reliance on experience in pest management decisions. The study found that modern methods, particularly pesticides (1.86%) and insecticides (1.80%), were more frequently utilized than indigenous approaches such as hand-picking (4.96%) and wood ash application (1.88%). However, economic barriers (high cost of pesticides), awareness issues, and limited extension services hindered the adoption of both methods. Correlation analysis indicated that education negatively influenced indigenous pest control adoption (r = -0.439, p = 0.000), while extension contact significantly reduced reliance on both methods (r = -0.347, p = 0.000; r = -0.222, p = 0.000). The study recommends the need for integrated pest management (IPM) strategies and improved access to extension services to enhance sustainable farming practices.