Proceedings of the Vertebrate Pest Conference

In spite of the clear need for rodent control at the village level, few countries have implemented effective rodent control programs directed at small-holders. Scientists tend to blame this on administrators but, in reality, many proposed programs are simply not practicable in developing countries. When small-acreage farmers have attempted to control rodents on their own, even when their neighbors do nothing, rodent damage can be achieved, but farmers may easily become discouraged by the prolonged effort involved. An alternative is to adapt control methods to the organizational constraints. Much simpler control methods are needed, which can be carried out through the coordinated efforts of large numbers of farmers. Some examples of such projects have been described earlier; here, we summarize the results of three further projects that illustrate progress towards integrated management programs.