Figure - uploaded by Michael Miyittah
Content may be subject to copyright.
Source publication
Background
The export drive for watermelon production is huge and so is pesticide usage. However, the health and safety of the farmers, as well as threat to the environment lie in the shadow. The purpose of the study is to evaluate watermelon farmers’ knowledge and application of pesticides in the Central region of Ghana, to ascertain factors assoc...
Contexts in source publication
Context 1
... health symptoms were reported by the respondents which is buttressing that, the farmers lack critical use of protective measures during spraying. As seen in Table 7, the most frequently reported symptoms were burning sensation (78%), headaches (67%), weakness (60.7%), fever (64%), watering eyes (60.7%), itching and skin irritation (63%), and chest pain (68%). The ranking of burning sensation as number one, suggested that it is a common issue and burning sensation is a function of several drivers leading to health risk predisposition. ...Context 2
... health symptoms were reported by the respondents which is buttressing that, the farmers lack critical use of protective measures during spraying. As seen in Table 7, the most frequently reported symptoms were burning sensation (78%), headaches (67%), weakness (60.7%), fever (64%), watering eyes (60.7%), itching and skin irritation (63%), and chest pain (68%). The ranking of burning sensation as number one, suggested that it is a common issue and burning sensation is a function of several drivers leading to health risk predisposition. ...Citations
... In reference to data analysis, some scholars used correlation analyses to establish the existing relationships occurring between the response and explanatory variables [33]; some scholars used correlation analyses [34] to establish the existing relationships occurring between the response and explanatory variables. Some scholars analysed the data in the study using only descriptive analyses [26], which could not clearly establish the statistical significance existing between the different independent variables and safe measures of pesticide use. ...
There is a global challenge mainly manifested in developing economies where compliance to safety measures in the use of pesticide especially by farmers is very low resulting in health challenges. This study therefore aimed at assessing the determinants of compliance to safety measures in the use of pesticide among local farmers in Miirya Sub County of Masindi District, Uganda. The objectives of the study were to identify the individual and institutional determinants related to compliance, then establish the level of compliance and finally determine the association between the different factors and compliance to safety measures in the use of pesticides among small scale farmers. Systematic random sampling was used to select the respondents, and a research-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, at 95% level of significance. Chi square analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were used to test for significance. The study found that the level of compliance to safe measures in the use of pesticides among farmers was low (30.2%). Findings also showed that the majority of the respondents were 40 years and above (66.7%), primary graduates (61.8%), married (84.0%), high knowledge level (94.8%), negative attitudes towards safe use of pesticides (70.8%), high risk perception (91.7%), no influence of peers (57.9%), using pesticide toxicity classes II and III (66.7%), never been trained on PPEs (53.2%), never received inspection in the past year (70.5%), and SOPs in place (81.4%).The bivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that farmer’s attitude; risk perception and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place were significantly associated with compliance to safe measures in the use of pesticides among farmers (p < 0.05). The most significant factors influencing compliance among the local farmers are attitude, risk perception and SOPs. Once the above are targeted there is bound to be a positive change in the adherence to safety measures. The study therefore recommends that there is need for local farmers to be made aware of the risks attached to improper use of pesticides and the reinforcement of provisions and adherence to standard operating procedures by the relevant authorities.
... The most important thing for creating safe practices for farmers using pesticides is the knowledge described in previous studies (Ali et al., 2018;Berni et al., 2021;Fan et al., 2015;Gesesew et al., 2016;Hashim et al., 2020;Mahyuni et al., 2020;Miyittah et al., 2020;Rostami et al., 2019), which states that knowledge about the use of pesticides has a significant role. This indicates that to promote safe pesticide handling practices, farmers' knowledge about pesticide usage should be the primary focus of interventions, which should be complemented by skills, technology, proper applications, and infrastructure. ...
... Farmers' lack of knowledge about using personal protective equipment at work, personal hygiene behavior at work, and smoking and eating habits when using pesticides may result in farmers being exposed to skin/eye irritation. This is because they are unsafe at work, like watermelon growers in the Central region of Ghana and grain growers in Northern China (Fan et al., 2015;Miyittah et al., 2020). Experienced farmers believe that long-term use of pesticides is not harmful to them. ...
Background: Pesticides can poison users if they do not follow pesticide use standards. This is because the active substances in these pesticide products can cause acute pain. Objective: The study aimed to identify the factors of safe behavior in using pesticides in farmers. Methods: This study employed a scoping review method. The literature search was carried out on the indexed databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, Scopus, PubMed, Free Medical Journals, and ProQuest in English. There were 450 research articles, and 15 met the inclusion criteria. From the 15 journals, information was collected from the publication year 2015-2021, article titles, design, population, interventions, and results. Relevant study articles related to the topics were qualitatively analyzed using NVIVO-12 Plus. Results: The analysis showed that knowledge, safe behavior of using pesticides, farmers' education, and personal protective equipment are the dominant factors influencing the safe behavior of using pesticides on farmers. Conclusion: Farmers who do not comply with safe behavior will have a higher health risk because of the toxicity of pesticides that can be directly inhaled and enter through the pores of the farmers’ skin.
... Among them, dizziness and headache, skin allergies, and burning of eyes were the most common symptoms. These are most common acute health problems due to exposure to chemical pesticides, reported elsewhere in Nepal [13,40] as well and other countries [41][42][43]. The acute problems were significantly higher among those with unsafe spray practice, which is similar to that of other parts of Nepal [13] indicating the need to promote safe handling of pesticides by the farmers. ...
In view of increasing irrational use and unsafe handling of pesticides in agriculture in Nepal, a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the practice of chemical pesticide use and acute health symptoms experienced by farmers. A total of 790 farmers from the Chitwan district were randomly selected for the study. X2 test, T-test, and Multiple Logistic Regression were used for analysis. Among the farmers, 84% used exclusively chemical pesticide. Farmers with better knowledge on pesticide handling were 8.3 times more likely to practice safe purchasing, four times more likely to practice safe mixing and spraying, and two times more likely to practice safe storage and disposal. Similarly, perception/attitude of farmers about chemical pesticide policy and market management was significantly associated with the practice of farmers during purchasing, mixing and spraying, and storage and disposal. Among the users of chemical pesticides, 18.7% farmers experienced one or more pesticide related acute symptoms of health problems during the previous 12 months. Farmers with unsafe practices of pesticide handling were two times more likely to suffer from acute poisoning. It is concluded that knowledge about pesticide handling and favorable perception/attitude on pesticide policy and market management are the predictors of safe use of pesticide.
... Among them, dizziness and headache, skin allergies and burning of eyes were the most common symptoms. These are most common acute health problems due to exposure to chemical pesticides, reported elsewhere in Nepal [13,40] as well and other countries [41][42][43]. The acute problems were signi cantly higher among those with unsafe spray practice, which is similar to that of other parts of Nepal [13] indicating the need to promote safe handling of pesticides by the farmers. ...
Background: Irrational use and unsafe handling of pesticides in agriculture farming is a serious public health concern in developing countries including Nepal. This study was conducted to assess the practice of chemical pesticide use and associated factors along with the acute health symptoms experienced by farmers in Chitwan District, Nepal.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using quantitative methods with 790 farmers from Chitwan district, Nepal selected through systematic random sampling. Scores for knowledge, attitude/perception and practice were calculated by aggregating variables where each variable was scored 1 or 0 based on a right or wrong answer. Further, the practice variable was segregated into three groups namely practice during purchasing, practice during mixing and spraying and practice during storage and disposal. Statistical analysis was performed with X2 test, T-test and Multiple Logistic Regression. Confounder controls were made for age, sex and education.
Results: Out of the 790 farmers, 663 (84.0%) were found to use exclusively chemical pesticide. Among them, 62% had no idea about its label. Farmers with better knowledge on pesticide handling were 8.3 times more likely to practice safe purchasing (95% CI=5.0-13.8), four times more likely to practice safe mixing and spraying (95% CI=2.5-5.9) and two times more likely to safe storage and disposal (95% CI=1.6-3.6). Similarly, perception/attitude of farmers about chemical pesticide policy and market management was significantly associated with the practice of farmers during purchasing (95% CI=1.1-2.8), mixing and spraying (95% CI=2.0-4.5) and storage and disposal (95% CI=1.1-2.5). Farmers with unsafe practice of pesticide handling were two times more likely to suffer from acute poisoning (AOR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.3-3.3).
Conclusion: There was a high use of pesticide in agriculture farming in Chitwan District. Improving knowledge of farmers on safe handling of pesticides and developing strategies for proper market management would promote the safe handling practices among farmers and reduce the acute pesticide poisoning in Nepal.
The Loukkos large perimeter is one of the most important agricultural regions in Morocco, characterized by intensive agricultural activities. It encompasses several agricultural activities, such as the cultivation of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.), which is one of the crops that receives the most pesticides in this zone. The intensive use of pesticides has certainly led to significant increases in yields by reducing multiple pest attacks and diseases that cause product damage and significant economic losses. Nonetheless, such widespread use has consequences for both human health and the environment. In this context, we evaluated the intensity of pesticide use on the watermelon crop and the impacts of the pesticides on the environment and human health using currently applied pesticide pressure indicators, including the number of treatments (NT), the treatment frequency indicator (TFI), and the quantity of active substances indicator (QASI), through survey data collected from a sample of 41 randomly selected farms. This study is part of a large program to update information on pesticides and promote safer use of them as well as to develop guidance and regulation for their application. The results showed that watermelon cultivation is under pressure from many diseases and pests, including powdery mildew, downy mildew, leafminers, and mites. These surveys revealed that a diversity of pesticide products was used on the watermelon crop. Regarding the quantification of the pesticides used, our results show that NT = 26.54, QASI = 14.76 kg/ha, and TFI = 28.46. Further studies using health and environmental risk indicators will be required in the future to complete this study. On the other hand, the progress made in Morocco regarding environmental security, which is judged worldwide through the use of sustainability indicators, will allow the rapid multiplication of the means of controlling pesticide use and the sustainable use of pesticides for future generations. This commitment has been translated at the Moroccan level into the strengthening of varietal and environmental research and into the programs of the National Food Safety Office (ONSSA) since its creation in 2009 and other compartments.
A survey was conducted to investigate farmers’ knowledge, attitudes towards pesticide use, storage/disposal, exposure risks and health symptoms in one of the eight cocoa growing regions in Ghana. A considerable proportion of the farmers (32%) used the bush as a storage facility for pesticides, 17% of the farmers stored chemicals in their living rooms, 3% of the farmers stored chemicals in their kitchen, 15% in their food storeroom, and 4% in the animal house. Personal protective equipment (PPE) use was positively associated with advice obtained from agrochemical shops (OR = 1.735, p < 0.01) and extension services (OR = 1.643, p < 0.01) as sources of information for PPE use. Female farmers (OR = 0.481, p < 0.01) were less likely to use PPE. With respect to location, farmers in Suaman district were less likely to use PPE (OR = 0.56, p < 0.010) compared with farmers in Wassa Amenfi. It is recommended that these factors should be considered for policy intervention. Reinforcement of appropriate pesticide storage and PPE education are necessary for securing safety in pesticide use.
