The distribution, frequency of occurrence, and the status of stored faba bean insect pests in relation to food security in Farta District, North West Ethiopia

Faba bean is one of the principal foods and cash crops produced in Ethiopia. However, storage insect pests are causing its considerable loss, and farmers' food insecurity. Consequently, a survey involving bean grains sampling from a total of 162 farmers stores were conducted between 4, September 2019-15, May 2020 in its six, major producing kebeles of Farta District. From each kebele, nine villages were selected at random and at each village, three randomly selected farmers' stores using a nested design were used for grain sampling. The keys of storage pest books were used for insects identification collected from samples. A total of 1844 insects belonging to 10 species, within two families of order Coleoptera, and one family of order Psocoptera were identified. Acanthoscelides obtectus, Callosobruchus sp., Callosobruchus chinensis, Zabrotes subfasciatus, followed by Callosobruchus species and C. dimidatus were the densely distributed, and the most frequently occurring; thus, major pests. The major status of these pests was suggested to affect farmers' food security in the study area. Consequently, the farmers' traditional practices were ineffective for faba bean grains protection. Therefore, planning stored faba bean pests' management strategies in the study area, in particular and Ethiopia, in general is desirable.