A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru

Decision support tools in agriculture help farmers make science-informed decisions rather than experience-dependent ones, which is increasingly important in the context of climate change. However, these tools often fail to accommodate diverse users in terms of their contents, ease of use, and dissem...

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Main Authors: Pérez, W., Kawarazuka, Nozomi, Fonseca, C., Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Informa UK Limited 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151682
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author Pérez, W.
Kawarazuka, Nozomi
Fonseca, C.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
author_browse Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
Fonseca, C.
Kawarazuka, Nozomi
Pérez, W.
author_facet Pérez, W.
Kawarazuka, Nozomi
Fonseca, C.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
author_sort Pérez, W.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Decision support tools in agriculture help farmers make science-informed decisions rather than experience-dependent ones, which is increasingly important in the context of climate change. However, these tools often fail to accommodate diverse users in terms of their contents, ease of use, and dissemination strategies. The objectives of this study are 1) to understand gender roles in potato production, 2) to understand men and women’s knowledge and perceptions of pesticide application, and 3) assess the usability of a handheld decision support tool for potato late blight control from the perspective of gender in Peru. A qualitative participatory assessment was carried out in two communities in the Andes to explore not only the technical usability of the tool for men and women farmers, but also gender roles, knowledge, and perceptions of pest and disease management that determine household decisions on pesticide use. The findings confirmed that women farmers face challenges to using the tool, based on both technical and sociocultural aspects. Furthermore, women farmers play a significant role in potato production in general, and their involvement in late blight management is likely to contribute to making appropriate household decisions on the use of pesticides, thereby mitigating overall health and environmental risks. The study concludes with recommendations for modifying the tool for women users as well as incorporating women’s perspectives at the design stage.
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publishDate 2024
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spelling CGSpace1516822025-10-26T12:51:25Z A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru Pérez, W. Kawarazuka, Nozomi Fonseca, C. Andrade-Piedra, J.L. potatoes decision-support systems gender disease management pesticide application Decision support tools in agriculture help farmers make science-informed decisions rather than experience-dependent ones, which is increasingly important in the context of climate change. However, these tools often fail to accommodate diverse users in terms of their contents, ease of use, and dissemination strategies. The objectives of this study are 1) to understand gender roles in potato production, 2) to understand men and women’s knowledge and perceptions of pesticide application, and 3) assess the usability of a handheld decision support tool for potato late blight control from the perspective of gender in Peru. A qualitative participatory assessment was carried out in two communities in the Andes to explore not only the technical usability of the tool for men and women farmers, but also gender roles, knowledge, and perceptions of pest and disease management that determine household decisions on pesticide use. The findings confirmed that women farmers face challenges to using the tool, based on both technical and sociocultural aspects. Furthermore, women farmers play a significant role in potato production in general, and their involvement in late blight management is likely to contribute to making appropriate household decisions on the use of pesticides, thereby mitigating overall health and environmental risks. The study concludes with recommendations for modifying the tool for women users as well as incorporating women’s perspectives at the design stage. 2024-12-31 2024-08-14T15:17:25Z 2024-08-14T15:17:25Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151682 en Open Access Informa UK Limited Pérez, W.; Kawarazuka, N.; Fonseca, C.; Andrade-Piedra, J. 2024. A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru, NJAS: Impact in Agricultural and Life Sciences. ISSN 2768-5241. 96(1). 29 p. https://doi.org/10.1080/27685241.2024.2385564
spellingShingle potatoes
decision-support systems
gender
disease management
pesticide application
Pérez, W.
Kawarazuka, Nozomi
Fonseca, C.
Andrade-Piedra, J.L.
A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title_full A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title_fullStr A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title_full_unstemmed A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title_short A decision support tool for potato late blight management: Assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of Peru
title_sort decision support tool for potato late blight management assessing its usability for women farmers to achieve equitable impacts in the highlands of peru
topic potatoes
decision-support systems
gender
disease management
pesticide application
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/151682
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