Determinants of Pesticide Use in Food Crop Production in Southeastern Nigeria

Sanzidur Rahman,Chidiebere Chima

doi:10.3390/agriculture8030035

Abstract

The present study examines pesticide use in producing multiple food crops (i.e., rice, yam, and cassava) and identifies the range of socio-economic factors influencing pesticide use by 400 farmers from Ebonyi and Anambra states of Southeastern Nigeria using a Tobit model. Results reveal that 68% of the farmers grew at least two food crops. Overall, 41% of the farmers applied pesticides in at least one food crop, whereas 70% of the farmers producing both rice and yam applied pesticides. Pesticide use rates and costs vary significantly amongst farmers producing different food crops and crop combinations. Pesticide use rate is highest for producing yam followed by cassava estimated at 1.52 L/ha costing Naira 1677.97 per ha and 1.37 L/ha costing Naira 1514.96 per ha. Similarly, pesticide use rate is highest for the farmers that produce both yam and cassava followed by farmers that produce both rice and cassava. The inverse farm size–pesticide use rate exists in the study areas, i.e., the pesticide use rate is highest for the small farmers (p < 0.01). Farmers seem to treat pesticides as substitutes for labor and ploughing services, indicated by the significant positive influence of labor wage and ploughing price on pesticide use. Increases in yam price significantly increase pesticide use. Rice production significantly increases pesticide use, whereas cassava production significantly reduces pesticide use. Male farmers use significantly more pesticides. Farming experience is significantly positively related to pesticide use. Policy recommendations include land reform policies aimed at increasing farm operation size and investment in programmes to promote cassava production to reduce pesticide use in food crop production in Southeastern Nigeria.

Highlights

Pesticide, a damage control input to safeguard from insects and other pests, is considered to improve nutrition in food, and its use is assumed an economic, labour-saving, and efficient tool for pest management [1]
Our specific contributions to the existing literature are as follows: (a) We have examined the extent of pesticide use by type and/or combinations of food crops produced by the farmer, which may provide further insight into whether pesticide use varies across cropping portfolio; (b) We have tested the farm-size and pesticide use relationship; and (c) We have incorporated a wide range of variables including prices, socio-economic factors, and variables representing commercial motive of the farmers to explain pesticide use at the farm level, which are not seen commonly in the literature
Results show that pesticide use is strongly influenced by a host of price and socio-economic factors of the farmer and the farming household, with varied effects

Summary

Introduction

A damage control input to safeguard from insects and other pests, is considered to improve nutrition in food, and its use is assumed an economic, labour-saving, and efficient tool for pest management [1]. Pesticide is believed to improve competitive advantage in agriculture [2]. This is because pesticide use is deemed essential for retaining current production and yield levels, as well as maintaining a high-quality standard of life [2]. There is a widespread acceptance that the use of modern agricultural technologies has led to a sharp increase in pesticide use, along with other modern inputs, in the developing economies [3,4,5]. The environmental and social impact of pesticide use in the USA alone is estimated at USD 10 billion per year [7].

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Results

Conclusion