Impact of the Implementation of the Fruit Fly Control Project on the Household Income of Mango Producers in Côte d’Ivoire

Abstract

Although Côte d’Ivoire’s mango sector is a leading exporter in Africa, it faces significant challenges due to fruit flies, which cause substantial economic losses. This study assesses the impact of the Fruit Fly Control Project (PLMF/ECOWAS) on the incomes of mango-producing households in northern Côte d’Ivoire. The research surveyed 378 households across the regions of Korhogo, Sinématiali, and Ferkessédougou. The average orchard size was 6.06 hectares. In 2019, households employing control measures marketed an average of 10.03 tons of mangoes, compared to less than 3 tons among those not implementing any control strategy. Average yields rose from 1.15 t/ha in 2015 to 1.56 t/ha in 2019, representing an increase of 413 kg/ha (approximately 20 crates per hectare). Producers utilizing the ternary method—combining sanitation, sexual attractants, and food baits, achieved an average production of 21.8 tons. However, this method incurred the highest production costs, at 127,838 FCFA/ha, and yielded an average net profit of 57,193 FCFA/ha, which is lower than that achieved through sanitation alone (183,719 FCFA/ha). The mean input cost was 54,724 FCFA/ha, with considerable variation: 45,310 FCFA/ha for sanitation and 80,250 FCFA/ha for the ternary method. The average gross margin stood at 100,317 FCFA/ha, peaking at 191,632 FCFA/ha for sanitation. The mean regional net profit was 94,782 FCFA/ha, but this figure turned negative (−82,805 FCFA/ha) for less efficient producers. Approximately 77.6% of producers were found to be economically efficient, with an average yield of 1.79 t/ha and an average input cost of 45,476 FCFA/ha. The average daily labor value was 5086 FCFA, though this dropped to 757 FCFA among those using the ternary method. The sustainability of the project remains uncertain in the absence of subsidies, primarily due to high input costs, the technical complexity of treatments, and the lack of certain equipment. The study therefore recommends prioritizing simpler or binary control methods and maintaining technical support and subsidies to ensure the sustainability of the project’s achievements.