by Salah S. Abd El-Ghani, Abdu Omran Mohamed, Sohier Mohamed Ahmed El-Seretty, and Tamer G. I. Mansour
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to identify the personal, social, and economic characteristics of the surveyed tomato farmers, assess their attitudes toward the application of biological control methods, and examine the relationship between selected independent variables and farmers’ attitudes toward biological control. The study was conducted in Matrouh Governorate on a random sample of 260 respondents. Data were collected in January 2025 through personal interviews using a questionnaire specifically designed for the study objectives and pre tested prior to data collection. The results showed that 58.9% of respondents were under 60 years of age and that 82.3% were literate. In addition, 63.8% were fully engaged in agricultural work, 76.2% were smallholders, and 93.5% exhibited low participation in local development organizations. Moreover, 51.5% of the respondents demonstrated a high readiness for agricultural modernization. The attitude scale showed high validity and internal consistency. The findings revealed that 90% of the surveyed farmers held negative attitudes toward biological control, compared with 8.1% neutral attitudes and only 1.9% positive attitudes. All biological control methods were ranked within the negative attitude category, with differences in their relative order. A statistically significant relationship was found only between farmers’ attitudes toward biological control and farm size. The study recommends designing and implementing applied extension programs on biological control, with a particular focus on smallholders, relying on field-based training and on-farm demonstrations to enhance farmers’ confidence and acceptance of biological control practices within integrated pest management programs.
