Assessment of Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Linnaeus) Insect Pests and Management Strategies in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Patient Niyibizi Gakuru (), François Muhashy Habiyaremye, Grégoire Noël, Rudy Caparros Megido and Frédéric Francis
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Patient Niyibizi Gakuru: Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
François Muhashy Habiyaremye: Department of Crop Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Goma, Goma P.O. Box 204, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Grégoire Noël: Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Rudy Caparros Megido: Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
Frédéric Francis: Functional and Evolutionary Entomology, TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-18

Abstract: Cabbage ( Brassica oleracea Linnaeus) is an important vegetable crop for food security and income generation for farmers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, production is severely undermined by a complex of insect pests. This study investigates farmers’ knowledge, perception, and pest management practices in key cabbage-growing areas surrounding Goma city in Eastern DRC. A total of 430 farmers were interviewed using a structured survey administered via the KoboToolbox platform. The diamondback moth ( Plutella xylostella Linnaeus, 1758) and the cabbage aphid ( Brevicoryne brassicae Linnaeus, 1758) were identified as the main pests, with peak incidences reported during the dry mid-season. Pest damages are most frequently observed at the post-transplanting and heading stages of cabbage. Although chemical control was the dominant strategy (69.4%), concerns arise due to the widespread use of moderately to highly hazardous insecticides, including pyrethroid, organophosphorus, and avermectin-based formulations. The insufficient use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and limited training on safe pesticide handling remain further challenges. While indigenous practices, such as crop rotation, handpicking of insects, and the use of botanical extracts, are employed to a lesser extent, awareness and implementation of biological control are almost nonexistent. The findings underscore the need to promote integrated pest management (IPM) approaches based on agroecological principles, including the safe use of (bio-)pesticides, training programs, and stakeholder engagement to enhance sustainable cabbage production.

Keywords: cabbage pests; IPM; indigenous practices; botanicals; pesticides; Democratic Republic of Congo (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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