Our farmers at risk: behaviour and belief system in pesticide safety

Palis, Florencia G.; Flor, Rica Joy; Warburton, H.; Hossain, Md. Masem

doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdi066

Cited by 97 publications

(95 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Sprayers have been known to spill or leak, especially when overused on rotational bases. An association has been shown between knapsack leakages and human health effects [7] [17]. Toxic residues on the skin and clothes can cause acute pesticide poisoning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The pesticide exposure risk increases among farmers in the tropical areas where temperatures and humidity are higher and the uptake of pesticides is favored due to an increase in body temperature and sweating [7]. Ill-health resulting from pesticide exposure may affect the overall daily performance and crop productivity of farmers in low-income settings where small-scale agricultural practices are mostly performed by individual farmers and their family members.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Small-Scale Tomato Cultivators’ Perception on Pesticides Usage and Practices in Buea Cameroon

Tandi¹,

Wook²,

Shendeh³

et al. 2014

Health

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It has been shown that farmers with limited knowledge of the use and safe handling of pesticides may suffer exposure which results in adverse health effects. In Buea, Cameroon, small-scale tomato farmers commonly use pesticides for pest control. Information was obtained from these tomato farmers to determine the extent and types of their pesticide use, their knowledge of pesticide use and effectiveness, and their perception of potential harm resulting from pesticide use. A standardized questionnaire, interviews, field observations and an analytical ranking game were used to describe the pesticide use of 93 tomato farmers. Many farmers (47.6%) used pyrethiod and organophosphorus insecticides and identified these chemicals as the most effective in pesticide control; these are WHO Class II pesticides which are the most hazardous to humans. Most farmers (83.8%) used knapsack sprayers to apply pesticides, with 76.3% using no or partial personal protective equipment (PPE). It was notable that 55.5% of farmers expressed no concern regarding the wind direction (pesticide drift) during spraying. The results showed a significant association between the method of pesticides application and farm size (P < 0.001). Most farmers (85.0%) reported at least one symptom of acute pesticide poisoning following spraying. This study revealed that the tomato farmers have a high exposure to pesticides secondary to inadequate knowledge of the safe and judicious use of pesticides. Strategies that provide training on the appropriate use of pesticides, how to reduce exposure to and health risks of pesticides and alterna-* Corresponding authors. T. E. Tandi et al. 2946tive options of pest management and control are required. The study also raised concerns that further control of the sale and distribution of pesticides may be indicated.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Small-Scale Tomato Cultivators’ Perception on Pesticides Usage and Practices in Buea Cameroon

Tandi¹,

Wook²,

Shendeh³

et al. 2014

Health

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show abstract

“…For example, regarding the issue of pesticide use, advances have been made by addressing culture (e.g. Gurung, 2003;Palis et al, 2006), social norms (e.g. Heong and Escalada, 1999;Heong et al, 2002), the social context (e.g.…”

Section: Integrative Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards an improved understanding of farmers' behaviour: The integrative agent-centred (IAC) framework

Feola

Binder

2010

Ecological Economics

119

100

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An effective approach to research on farmers' behaviour is based on: i) an explicit and well motivated behavioural theory; ii) an integrative approach; iii) understanding feedback processes and dynamics. While current approaches may effectively tackle some of them, they often fail to combine them together. The paper presents the integrative agent-centred (IAC) framework, which aims at filling this gap. It functions in accordance with these three pillars and provides a conceptual structure to understand farmers' behaviour in agricultural systems. The IAC framework is agent-centred and supports the understanding of farmers' behavior consistently with the perspective of agricultural systems as complex Social-Ecological Systems. It combines different behavioural drivers, bridges between micro and macro levels, and depicts a potentially varied model of human agency. The use of the framework in practice is illustrated through two studies on pesticide use among smallholders in Colombia. The examples show how the framework can be implemented to derive policy implications to foster a transition towards more sustainable agricultural practices. The paper finally suggests that the framework can support different research designs for the study of agents' behaviour in agricultural and social-ecological systems Feola, G., Binder, C.R., 2010. Towards an improved understanding of farmers' behaviour: The integrative agent-centred (IAC) framework, Ecol. Econ. 69, 2323Econ. 69, -2333

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“…These alternative methods have been implemented but have not been sustained (Crisostomo et al, 2002). In one study in three villages of Nueva Ecija, Philippines, the farmers' perceived no threat from pesticide exposure and that dermal contact was not considered a route of exposure (Palis et al, 2006). On the other hand, despite sufficient knowledge on the health risks of pesticide exposure, farmers still employed poor protective measures (Garcia et al, 2002;Atreya, 2007;Yassin et al, 2002;Recena, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ergonomic and health assessment of farmers’ multi-pesticide exposure

Lu¹

2017

Ergonomics South Afr

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Objective. This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 534 farmers in the largest vegetable -producing area in the northern part of the Philippines. This study assessed the ergonomic risk factors, and occupational health and safety conditions of farmers' multi-pesticide exposures.Methods. Methods consisted of interviewer-guided survey questionnaires on pesticide use among farmers, agricultural safety risk factors associated with pesticide exposure and physical health assessments of farmers. The subjects were selected using multistage random sampling, yielding a total of 534 farmers.Results. The majority of the study population were males (53.3%), with a mean age of 47 years old. Occupational exposure accounted for major exposure (84.8%). Farmers often complained of a headache (69.4%) and dizziness (41.0%) after their exposure to pesticides. As for common respiratory symptoms, farmers often complained of coughing (39.4%), difficulty with breathing (15.6%), breathlessness (14.9%) and having pulmonary secretions (13.3%). Farmers reported pesticide spills on their body parts while spraying (79%), and 49 % complained of getting sick because of work. Of those who got ill, 69.8% did not receive any medical attention. Of the farmers, 40.9% were diagnosed with abnormal physical examination findings, and less than 10% had abnormal laboratory results. Conclusion.The results showed that farmers were exposed to pesticides while undertaking their agricultural work and that certain occupationally-related health symptoms manifested. This underscores the need to improve protection measures to reduce the exposure of the farmers to pesticides.

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Our farmers at risk: behaviour and belief system in pesticide safety

Abstract: There is the need for more health education programs that tap farmers' belief system and cognitive categories to stress the need for precautions.

Cited by 97 publications

References 15 publications

Small-Scale Tomato Cultivators’ Perception on Pesticides Usage and Practices in Buea Cameroon

Small-Scale Tomato Cultivators’ Perception on Pesticides Usage and Practices in Buea Cameroon

Towards an improved understanding of farmers' behaviour: The integrative agent-centred (IAC) framework

Ergonomic and health assessment of farmers’ multi-pesticide exposure

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