Rice Insect Pests in the Uplands of Sarangani Province, Philippines and Indigenous Methods for their Control

Sarangani,  a newly created province in Mindanao island, Philippines, has mostly mountainous terrain that is home to the various tribal groups such as Blaans, Tbolis and Tagakaulos.  Owing to factors such as inaccessibility and ethnic conflicts in remotest areas of the province, studies relating to tribal agricultural practices and pest control methods are completely non-existent. Surveys of rice insect pests and interviews with tribal farmers were carried out to determine incidence of insect pests in the farms and to document indigenous control methods used by farmers.  A total of 83 species was documented comprising 2 classes and 13 orders. Of the total number of arthropods recorded, 43 were predaceous insects and arachnids whose preponderance in the upland farms can potentially be exploited for biological control of rice insect pests. Moreover, interviews with farmers revealed preferential use of noise and foul odors from decomposing animals to drive insect pests away. In a few sitios (villages), however, insect pests were given free rein to infest the crops and farmers settled with whatever is left. This practice of leaving everything in the hands of deity and faith has resulted in rampart poverty and hunger in these areas. For majority of the sitios, many farmers no longer adhered to traditional methods of farming while others signified intention of shifting to synthetic pesticide use. These findings do not bode well for the future of upland farmers in the Sarangani uplands as well as for the perpetuation of traditional knowledge systems in the area. It is therefore imperative that productivity in the farms will be increased using sustainable and culture-friendly technologies for pest control. This coupling of scientific knowledge and traditional knowledge is therefore essential for managing insect pests while preserving the culture of the tribes in Sarangani Province.