Farmer's behavior in pesticide use: Insights study from smallholder and intensive agricultural farms in Bangladesh

Md Panna Ali,Mir Md Moniruzzaman Kabir,Sheikh Shamiul Haque,Xinghu Qin,Sultana Nasrin,Douglas Landis,Björn Holmquist,Nur Ahmed

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141160

Abstract

Since independence and over the years, pesticides have become a dominant feature of Bangladesh agriculture. To protect farmers' health, environment and to improve sustainability of chemical pest control quantitative understanding of farmers' behavior in pesticide use is critical. However, study on the levels of knowledge and awareness of farmers and the practices of pesticide use are often limited. We conducted a broad analysis on the effects of knowledge and awareness of farmers as well as the influence of the different associated stakeholders such as pesticide retailers and the government, on farmers' behavior in pesticide use from a detailed survey of 917 agricultural households in different regions of Bangladesh. Within eight protective behaviors (PBs) or PPEs were largely influenced by the crops growers and regions. Never discarding empty pesticide containers in the field, never applying pesticides more than prescribed by DAE or the instruction manual, selecting new types of pesticides recommended by DAE and purchasing low toxicity pesticides were the most adopted practices. Most farmers from the South-East region were adopting the PB of wearing mask, gloves and long sleeved clothes when spraying and farmers from South trusted the recommendations of pesticides by village leaders and neighbors. Majority of vegetables growers were well informed that pesticides were very harmful to the quality of agricultural products, the environment, and human health but not rice or mixed crops growers. Generally, PBs were positively affected by the perception of the consequences of farmers' behavior and knowledge of pesticide use but negatively influenced by action of governments and trust of retailers. It is important to recognize the differences that exist among different crops growers and locations. Attempt needs to bridge the gap among crop growers, locations and different stakeholder such as government agencies and retailers to develop policy.

Highlights

The global population is projected to be 9 billion by year 2050, and food availability and people's access to the food are matters that are increasingly important
This study indicated that protective behaviors (PBs) were largely affected by the type of crops growers and the locations/regions
Inadequate PBs of farmers in pesticide use was mainly due to lack of knowledge, ineffective actions of the government and pesticide retailers

Summary

Introduction

The global population is projected to be 9 billion by year 2050, and food availability and people's access to the food are matters that are increasingly important. Pesticides can help reduce the yield losses caused by the pests (e.g. insect pests, pathogens, weeds), and to feed the increasing world's population (Verger and Boobis, 2013). A large number of agricultural workers and farmers suffer from work accidents and diseases every year (ILO, 2010). To protect human health against vector-borne diseases, for example, malaria, dengue, Zika fever, Chikungunya fever (CuervoParra et al, 2016; WHO, 2009; Wilson and Tisdell, 2001), and to protect home sites, storages, lawns from weeds, pathogens and both insect and mammal pests pesticides are used (Nayak et al, 2015; Sarwar, 2016; Spliid et al, 2004)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion