Determinants of Safe Pesticide Handling and Application Among Rural Farmers

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Safety
• Environmental Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Pesticide use is widespread in agriculture, posing risks to farmers' health and the environment.
• Understanding factors influencing safe pesticide practices is vital for risk mitigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the determinants of safe pesticide handling and application among farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria.
• To identify the relationship between farmer knowledge, training, and safe pesticide practices.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study with 2-stage cluster sampling of 383 farmers in Oyo State, Nigeria.
• Structured questionnaires were used to collect data on pesticide use, knowledge, and practices.
• Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were employed.

Main Results:

• 72.3% of farmers exhibited safe pesticide handling and application practices.
• Farmers who attended training (OR=2.821) and possessed good knowledge (OR=5.494) were significantly more likely to practice safely.
• Common health issues included skin irritation (65.0%) and itchy eyes (51.3%).

Conclusions:

• Comprehensive training programs are essential to educate farmers on pesticide impacts and safe practices.
• Policy interventions to regulate pesticide use and restrict access to banned products are urgently needed.
• Strengthening farmer knowledge and promoting safe disposal methods are key to improving agricultural safety.