Do synthetic insecticides offer a promising solution to control the fall army worm invasion in Ghana? perception and determinant analyses

Since the declaration of the fall armyworm (FAW) pandemic across sub-Saharan Africa in 2016, the polyphagous insect has threatened food security and livelihoods in the sub-region, particularly among farmers producing maize for sustenance. To mitigate the worm infestation, synthetic insecticides are used as a promising solution to effectively manage the threat of the worms, despite the negative consequences such as effects on human health, ecosystem sustainability, and overall societal and economic costs. This study, therefore, uses a structured questionnaire to collect primary data on 250 maize farmers to assess their perceptions and determinants of synthetic insecticides used to manage FAW in the Ejura-Sekyedumase municipality in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The findings showed that emamectin-benzoate, chlorpyrifos, and lambda-cyhalothrin-based insecticides were the dominant chemicals used to manage FAW infestations. Farmers' overall perceptions are indifferent, which raised doubts about the sustainability and efficacy of applying synthetic insecticides. The findings highlight farmers' concerns about the effects of synthetic insecticides on human health and the environment, which calls for the investigation of less expensive, low-risk alternatives to insecticides such as microbial and botanical insecticides that are safer for humans and enhance ecosystem sustainability. Results from a Heckman selection model which corrects sample selection bias showed that three institutional covariates, three perception attributes, and five personal factors significantly influence the adoption of synthetic insecticides to control FAW in the study area. The study's findings imply that if proper measures are put in place to encourage the use of prescribed and environmentally friendly insecticides to counteract FAW's attack, maize productivity and production will be improved in a more sustainable manner.