Factors affecting the knowledge of vegetable farmers of Chitwan and Makwanpur district over pesticide use

Abstract

A study was conducted in two districts of Nepal to determine the factors influencing the knowledge of vegetable farmers regarding pesticide use. The use of pesticides in agriculture is considered necessary but can pose significant risks if handled inadequately or impractically. The study collected data from 136 vegetable growers, with 68 farmers from each district, and also involved 5 agro vets from both districts using random sampling techniques. The findings indicated that only 13.23% of the farmers were found to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), while 83.08% used partial PPE, and 3.67% applied pesticides without any protective gear. This finding was statistically significant at the 10% level. Among the different types of protective gear, masks were the most commonly used by the farmers. The majority of farmers (62.5%) reported being poisoned during pesticide mixing and spraying, with eye irritation being the most frequently reported symptom. Farm households that underwent training in pesticide usage and vegetable cultivation experienced a statistical enhancement of 20.6% in their knowledge. Moreover, farmers who were educated, had access to extension services, had long experience in pesticide usage, or had a history of poisoning in their farm household witnessed corresponding improvements of 9%, 18%, 2.1%, and 9.3% in their knowledge of pesticide use. The study urges agricultural organizations to implement training, promote literacy, offer extension services, and raise awareness to enhance farmers' knowledge and safety, contributing to sustainable agriculture and farmer well-being.