Practices and Challenges of Pestiside Application on KHat Farm, the Case of Kersa Woreda, Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

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The main objective of this study is to assess the practices and challenges of pestiside application on khat farm, the case of kersa woreda, jimma zone, south west ethiopia. The study was conducted in Kersa woreda located in Jimma zone, from April 2018 to August 2018. A cross sectional study design was conducted to assess the practice and challenges of pesticide application on khat farm by Kersa woreda farmers from April 2018 – August 2018. The source of population was all households found in Wakuddo, kallacha and marawa kebeles, kersa woreda, Jimma Zone. From the total households of the three kebeles means Wakuddo (720 householders), Marawa (1200 householders) and Kallacha (900 householders), 24 householders from Wakuddo, 38 householders from Marawa and 31 householders from Kallacha. Data were collected by using interview for gathering important information used for this assessment. After collected data cleared and checked for their completeness, data were then analyzed using a scientific calculator and results were presented in the form of table and paragraphs. Majority of the respondents were replied that, the level of culture of spraying chemicals on khat farm by the farmers of the study area was very low. The three top known used chemical spraying on khat by kersa woreda were DDT, Malathion and Wuha agar. Of these used chemicals DDT was the most known pesticide used by the local people of the study area. The main reason of using chemical pesticide was to facilitate its growth (to increase khat production). The other purposes of spraying these chemical pesticides on khat were to kill insects and to increase its quality. The season at which chemicals / pesticides application is more effective for the desired objective in the study area was at summer. There was difference between chemical applied and non applied khat in terms of yield. Chemical applied khat can cause headache as reported, gastric disease, eyes burning sensation and heart beat increment.