Smallholder vegetable farmers in Northern Tanzania: Pesticides use practices, perceptions, cost and health effects

Abstract

Small-scale farmers in Northern Tanzania grow vegetables that include tomatoes, cabbages and onions and use many types of pesticides to control pests and diseases that attack these crops. Based on the use of questionnaires and interviews that were conducted in Arumeru, Monduli, Karatu, and Moshi rural districts, this study investigates farmers' practices on vegetable pest management using pesticides and related cost and health effects. The types of pesticides used by the farmers in the study areas were insecticides (59%), fungicides (29%) and herbicides (10%) with the remaining 2% being rodenticides. About a third of the farmers applied pesticides in mixtures. Up to 90% had a maximum of 3 pesticides in a mixture. In all cases there were no specific instructions either from the labels or extension workers regarding these tank mixtures. Fifty three percent of the farmers reported that the trend of pesticide use was increasing, while 33% was constant and 14% was decreasing. More than 50 percent of the respondents applied pesticides up to 5 times or more per cropping season depending on the crop. Insecticides and fungicides were routinely applied by 77% and 7%, respectively by these farmers. Sixty eight percent of farmers reported having felt sick after routine application of pesticides. Pesticide-related health symptoms that were associated with pesticides use included skin problems and neurological system disturbances (dizziness, headache). Sixty one percent of farmers reported spending no money on health due to pesticides. These results can be used to develop a tool to quantify the cost of pesticide use in pest management by small-scale vegetable farmers in Northern Tanzania and contribute to the reformation of pesticide policy for safe and effective use of pesticides.

Pesticide use practices among smallholder vegetable farmers in Ethiopian Central Rift Valley

“…Empirically, specific studies have shown the high human and environmental risks of unsafe use of pesticides in many African countries such as Ghana (Ntow et al 2006), Tanzania (Ngowi et al 2007), Botswana (Obopile et al 2008), Ethiopia (Jansen and Harmsen 2011), Benin (Ahouangninou et al 2012), Uganda (Kateregga 2012), Kenya (Macharia et al 2013). Other parts of sub-Saharan Africa have similar problems with the widespread use of highly toxic and illegal pesticides (Ecobichon 2001;Williamson et al 2008;Handford et al 2015).…”

“…In African countries, many government extension programs encourage the use of pesticides (Ngowi et al 2007;Kateregga 2012). Also Ethiopian farmers have been stimulated to use pesticides as the only option for crop protection, mainly through advertising pesticide use by retailers and extension officers.…”

“…Since Rachel Carson's Silent Spring attention has been given to the hazards of extensive pesticides use in developed and developing countries (e.g. Karlsson 2004;Hoi et al 2013;Ríos-González et al 2013;Jansen and Dubois 2014), including sub-Saharan Africa (Ngowi et al 2007;Jansen and Harmsen 2011;Stadlinger et al 2011;Kateregga 2012;Macharia et al 2013;Mengistie et al 2014).…”

“…Pesticide use patterns of smallholder farmers are more complicated compared with large-scale farmers, as they are usually resource-poor as well as risk-averse. In addition, due to high exposure and unsafe application techniques, smallholders experience more pesticides health risks than larger-scale farmers (Ngowi et al 2007;Williamson et al 2008).…”

Untitled

“…Less than one percent of pesticides applied to the agriculture reach their pests, and more than 99% of it adversely affects unintended targets including the public and environmental health [11]. In a study conducted in Northern Tanzania, it was reported that 50% of farmers apply up to 5 times or more recommended dosage of pesticides on crops and eventually 68% of them reported having fell sick after routine application of pesticides [12].…”