ABSTRACT
Even though this Phase is characterised by a relatively limited understanding of the basic principles of agricultural production and agroecosystems, it was during this Phase that farmers slowly began to associate the presence of plant ‘pests’ (particularly weeds and insects) with the likelihood of lower yields. The capacity to associate plant pests with the likelihood of reduced yield gave farmers an incentive to use pesticides. Farmers used pesticides in the hope that they would reduce the negative impact of the pest and leave more agricultural produce. In turn, this would enhance the household food security of subsistence farmers and/or provide a larger surplus of agricultural produce for farmers to sell or barter in the market place (see Fig. 1.1).
