Different seeds, same pest? Exploring smallholder farmers’ lived experiences of fall armyworm impacts on hybrid and local maize in Kenya

Fall Armyworm (FAW) is a persistent threat to maize-based food systems in sub-Saharan Africa, but less is known about how farmers experience its effects across seed types and household livelihoods. This exploratory qualitative study examined smallholder farmers’ lived experiences of FAW damage in hybrid and local maize in Siaya County, Kenya. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews lasting 30–45 min were conducted with 88 purposively selected farmers, and responses were analyzed thematically by two independent researchers. Farmers described FAW as recurrent and difficult to control; 43.2% reported infestation every season. Most participants (77.3%) perceived hybrid maize as more severely affected than local maize, whereas 9.1% perceived local maize as more affected and 9.1% reported similar effects. Participants associated infestation with reduced yields, impaired crop growth, lower-quality harvests, lost income, pesticide and labour costs, depleted maize stocks, food purchases, and stress related to financial and food uncertainty. Reported responses included pesticide use, repeated spraying, purchasing food, crop diversification, and reconsidering maize varieties. Because the study relied on farmers’ accounts rather than controlled varietal comparisons, the perceived differences cannot be attributed to seed characteristics independently of management and growing conditions. The findings indicate that farmers evaluate FAW damage through interconnected production, livelihood, food-security, and seed-choice concerns, supporting locally tested pest-management and seed advisory services.