Table 3.

Community concerns regarding source reduction through habitat modification or removal

Theme	Key concerns	Example quotes
Domestic uses of the water	Water bodies are essential for domestic and livelihood activities	"Most of our water bodies are used for various purposes, from fishing to laundry. Removing them completely isn't just about mosquitoes; it affects our daily lives." (Male farmer)
Feasibility and practicality	Natural water bodies cannot easily be altered Large habitats are difficult to modify without creating new ones	"Where would you even start to fill a natural water body? It is there because it has to be there, it's natural, even if mosquitoes are present, a different approach should be used, and not this one." (Male, fisherman) "The main challenge in filling the pits [is that it is] is difficult during the rainy season. You might say you’ll fill a pit, but when it rains, not all places will drain off the water; there are many areas where water will accumulate… preventing water from stagnating during the rainy season is difficult”. (Female farmer)
		"For me, this approach is not possible because there are mining activities by small-scale miners in the village here. They dig large pits in the forests, when it rains, these pits fill with water. So, you can't ask people to go to those places and fill up those pits.” (Male farmer) "Another challenge I see is time, these pits are present during the rainy season, and we farmers are usually busy in the fields, so we don’t have time to rest and fill these pits. Time is a real issue because as soon as we wake up, we are going to the fields, and by the time the rainy season ends, and the water is everywhere”. (Male farmer)
Impact on livelihoods	Modifying habitats could negatively impact livelihoods such as by hindering brickmaking	"In our area, brickmaking is an annual activity. Every year, we need to dig new pits for this purpose. So, if we fill the old ones, we will just end up creating new ones the following year." (Male, brick maker) "I think that filling the pits we use for brickmaking would be economically counterproductive for us. We need the health institutions to work with us and the community to find other ways to control mosquitoes and manage malaria, without disrupting our brickmaking activities. If the government decides to fill these pits, we will have to dig new ones for making bricks and we will create new mosquito oviposition sites". (Male, brick maker)
Water resources for livestock	Modifying habitats could negatively impact resources for livestock	"If I'm told to fill up a pit that I regularly use, it would for sure affect me. Yes, there might be benefits, but on the other hand, I’ll face consequences. For example, if that pit has enough water for my livestock and there’s no alternative, then filling it up would significantly affect me and my livestock." (Male, pastoralist)