Risk assessment and health hazards in vegetable growers of Haryana (India) based on their knowledge and attitudes towards pesticide uses

Abstract

Objectives: India is an agricultural country, with agriculture employing the majority of the population. Pesticides are broadly and indiscriminately used in agricultural production, posing a serious threat to both the environment and public health. So, the objective of the current study was to assess the risk assessment of pesticide uses in vegetable growers in based on their knowledge and practices in Jhajjar district of Haryana. Methodology: The study included 110 vegetable and fruit farmers in Jhajjar District of Haryana. A standardized questionnaire was administered to gather the primary data from farmers after their consent. The collected data was entered in the excel sheet and analyzed using inbuilt programme. Results: We observed that more than 77% farmers were aware of the adverse health effects of the pesticides, but most of them were unable to understand the colour code and instructions present on the label. They do not follow safety practices regarding pesticide application and due to this 70% of them reported at least one symptom of acute pesticide poisoning. Headaches (54.54%), runny nose (45.45), coughing (44.54%), watery eyes (43.63) were the most common symptoms followed by itchy eyes/irritation (31.81%), skin irritation (30%), fatigue (29.09%), nausea (18.18%), and dizziness (7.27%).