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ተፈጥራዊ ዐረ-ነፍሳት መድሓኒት ካብ ተክሊ እዩ (in Tigrigna from Ethiopia)

3,504 views · Published 31 January 2013 · 2:44 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: SAWBO™ Scientific Animations Without Borders · 2013 · Education

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ተፈጥራዊ ዐረ-ነፍሳት መድሓኒት ካብ ተክሊ እዩ

Natural Insecticide from Neem Seeds in Tigrigna (accent from Ethiopia)

Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp., is grown throughout the world, but it is a particularly important source of high-quality protein in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is an important protein source for tens of millions of people that live under $2 a day – people that can often not afford meat in their diet. Insect pests limit the production of cowpeas in the field and cause serious post-harvest losses (up to 100%). The major pests of cowpea in the field in West Africa include: (i) the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata Fabricius; (ii-iii) the coreid pod-bugs, Clavigralla tomentosicollis Stal and Anoplocnemis curvipes (F.); (iv) the groundnut aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch; and, (v-vi) thrips, Megalurothrips sjostedti Trybom and Sericothrips occipitalis Hood. Losses due to these pests can have dramatic negative effects on some of the poorest farmers West Africa – limiting their access to protein for their families in the coming year.

Farmers often resort to the use (and misuse) of neurotoxic pesticides to control cowpea insect pests with, in some unfortunate cases, dire consequences to their health, the health of their families, and the end users of those who purchase the cowpeas. The neem tree (Azadirachta indica), which is commonly found in many areas of West Africa, contains compounds that can be used to control pest insects in a far more environmentally benign manner than pesticides. Neem does not have the many side-effects that can occur with neurotoxic pesticides – in fact it is used in organic agricultural practices and neem extracts are also used for medicinal purposes. Thus, neem extracts represent an environmentally benign and cost-effective way for farmers to control insect pests.

In this animation, farmers can learn how naturally occurring insecticidal compounds can be extracted from neem seeds and sprayed onto crops to prevent pest insect damage. This 2 minute and 33 second animation explains how to sort neem fruits, dry them, remove their outer shells, sort the seeds, grind them, mix the powder in water, filter the mixture, and then prepare the solution necessary for spraying on the crops.

This animation was made possible through support provided to the Dry Grains Pulses Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) by the Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture, and Trade, U.S. Agency for International Development, under the terms of Grant No. EDH-A-00-07-00005. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Agency for International Development or the U.S. government.

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