Assessment of the Effect of Neem Plant Products on House Mosquito Repellency: A Case Study of Burera and Gicumbi Districts

Abstract

Insect pests, diseases, and weeds are interlinked and complement each other. Mosquito bites constitute a nuisance to man and his environment. The female Anopheles mosquito transmits malaria parasites, Aedes aegygti mosquitoes are known to transmit yellow fever and dengue fever. Therefore, the present study seeks to assess the effect of neem plant products on house mosquito repelling. A case study of Burera, and Gicumbi Districts. A cross-section sampling technique was used in this study. Six respondents were selected from each category to make a sixth (60) respondent sample size. The results of this study indicated that neem oil, neem leaves, and neem smoke were most effective for repelling mosquitoes respectively at (p <0.01). There was a statistically significant difference between the various neem products repelling mosquito bites (Number of observations 60; P-Value < 0.0001, and R<sup>2</sup> of 0.833). The finding of this study also indicated that using neem plant products to repel mosquitoes should increase neem plant product value, reduce costs of chemical insecticides, increase mosquito repellency, reduce disease vectors, increase the use of biological control, control mosquito bites, reduce the death of children under five years, and increase research studies. The high need for support for increasing research on eco-friendly techniques and strategies should be enhanced as well as reducing chemical pesticide use which increases Greenhouse gas emissions and reduction of pollinators.