Practice towards pesticide handling, storage and its associated factors among farmers working in irrigations in Gondar town, Ethiopia, 2019

Chalie Mequanint,Betelihem Getachew,Tadesse Guadu,Henok Dagne,Yonas Mindaye,Dagnachew Eyachew Amare

doi:10.1186/s13104-019-4754-6

Abstract

ObjectivesThe main objective of this study was to assess pesticide handling and storage practice, and its associated factors among farmers engaged in irrigation in Gondar town, Ethiopia, 2019. Community-based cross-sectional study was used to assess pesticide handling and storage practice, and its associated factors among farmers. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study subjects. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Data were entered using Epi Info 7.0 and exported to SPSS 20. Descriptive statistics were used for some variables. Univariate and multivariable binary logistic regression was used to test the factors associated with the outcome. Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with P value less than 0.05 were used to report association.ResultsAbout 409 study subjects completed the semi-structured questionnaires. Among the studies subjects, 261 (63.8%) of them had poor pesticide handling and storage practice. Knowledge [AOR = 3.23 (95% CI 1.91, 5.46)], attitude [AOR = 1.77 (95% CI 1.11, 2.81) and educational status (informal education [AOR = 3.05 (95% CI 1.72, 5.42)], elementary education [AOR = 5.38 (95% CI 2.62, 11.06)], secondary education [AOR = 9.51 (95% CI 4.24, 21.32)] and certificate and above [AOR = 6.00 (95% CI 1.58, 22.78)]) were factors significantly associated with pesticide handling and storage practice. To improve the pesticide handling and storage practice, it is imperative to enhance the level of the farmer’s knowledge through training, and information dissemination in workshops.

Highlights

Pesticides are chemicals used for deterring, destroying or controlling any pest causing harm [1, 2]
Knowledge [Adjusted odd ratio (AOR) = 3.23], attitude [AOR = 1.77 and educational status (informal education [AOR = 3.05], elementary education [AOR = 5.38], secondary education [AOR = 9.51] and certificate and above [AOR = 6.00]) were factors significantly associated with pesticide handling and storage practice
The main objective of the study was to assess pesticide storage and handling practice and its associated factors among farmers working in irrigation in Gondar town, Ethiopia, 2019

Summary

Introduction

Pesticides are chemicals used for deterring, destroying or controlling any pest causing harm [1, 2]. Humans come into contact with pesticides during mixing pesticides, pesticide application in the field, weeding, harvesting, and when collecting vegetables; or in their homes when pesticides are used to kill mosquitoes, cockroaches, bed bug and flies. The storage practice is believed to be poor among farmers in Ethiopia due to the knowledge gap [3, 4]. The poor practice of storing pesticides may lead to adverse health consequences [4, 5]. A higher proportion of pesticide poisonings and deaths occur in developing countries where there are inadequate occupational safety standards, lack of use of personal protective equipment (PPE), inadequate hygienic facilities, illiteracy, and insufficient knowledge of pesticide hazards [6–9]. Without sufficient ventilation and adequate PPEs, pesticides fumes may be inhaled and dermally absorbed into the human body [10]

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Conclusion