Perception of advantages and constraints of cotton topping by Mali farmers

In Mali, the effectiveness of systematic chemical control (calendar treatment) against cotton pests is regularly discounted. Some alternatives to this control, aiming at reducing the quantities of pesticides, are being disseminated; others are being tested by producers, such as cotton topping. This study aimed at understanding the perception of the cotton topping technique by farmers. It was conducted through a participatory approach in four villages, using focus groups with men and women, and interviews with about 40 producers who had, or not, practiced topping. Farmers identified the following advantages of cotton topping by: (i) a technique easy to implement by both men and women, (ii) reduction in flower and capsule drop, (iii) reducing the height of plants with more spread out, (iv) for some of them, yield improvement, (v) reducing the population of pests, and therefore the use of pesticides, which has positive effects on human health and the environment, and lower production costs. The main constraint farmers highlighted was the additional need for labor, its higher cost compared to the cultivation of non-topped cotton. Partnerships with cotton companies and farmers' organizations and the training of their agents in cotton topping are essential for a larger scale adoption.