Farmer Field School (FFS) in Coconut - Participatory bio management of Rhinoceros Beetle

Abstract

Coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.), is a versatile crop supporting livelihood of more than 10 million farm families, directly and indirectly. The coconut farmer faces several challenges like pest and disease incidence, low productivity, inadequate level of knowledge and adoption of scientific recommendations, climate change and absence of policies and plans for rejuvenating the crop. Rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros Linn.) is a major pest of coconut, widely prevalent in the coconut growing countries of the world. The pest incidence causes 10 percent reduction in the yield of coconut palms. Hence Farmer Field School (FFS) was chosen as the most appropriate extension strategy for improving the knowledge of the coconut farmers in integrated biomanagement of Rhinoceros beetle.