Abstract
Inadequate application of phytosanitary products in agricultural production can be the result of a number of factors, from the low level of education of the applicators to the lack of training regarding the correct application of chemical pesticides. Thus, this work explored the reality of a group olericulture producers in Colônia Nova, community of Abaetetuba (PA). The methodology organized the data based on responses to a questionnaire, with structured and closed questions answered by rural owners in order to help trace the profile of pesticide applicators at that location. Among the results obtained, there was a low level of education among producers and the production of crops of condiment and leafy plants, led by scallions, cabbage, lettuce and chicory. Among the categories of pesticides used by farmers, insecticides were the most used, followed by fungicides and herbicides. No interviewed owner participated in any training for specific work with pesticides and they were also unaware of any institution that could carry out this type of training. An on-site assessment revealed that, in relation to the use of PPE, with the exception of gloves and waterproof boots, the other items were just ordinary, everyday clothes, inappropriate for this activity. Therefore, this research demonstrated the difficulty faced by the farmers of Colônia Nova, mainly due to the low level of education that prevented them from knowing the safety and legal aspects regarding the use of agricultural pesticides, the triple washing and the correct destination of empty pesticide packaging.
Highlights
Whenever an agricultural cultivation cycle begins, care is taken to produce a good harvest
In the community of Colônia Nova (Abaetetuba - PA) 30 properties were found practicing olericulture; only 28 properties used pesticides at some point in the production process; so, for the specific purposes of this research, the sample universe consisted of 28 properties
In these 28 properties, only eight pesticide applicator workers (28%) were found, as this is an activity usually performed by the farmer who owns the area (72%)
Summary
Whenever an agricultural cultivation cycle begins, care is taken to produce a good harvest. Pesticides to be tried, produced, exported, imported, traded and used must be previously registered with the Ministry of Agriculture, meet the requirements of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Urban Development and Environment and the Ministry of Labor (Alencar, 2010). The rural worker figures as one of the main elements of the agricultural food production chain, since the correct application of pesticides depends almost exclusively on how prepared they are, that is, on how trained these workers are. The risks of contamination of these workers decrease substantially; the lack of training will make working with pesticides a risk to the health of both individual workers and the communities where they live, since, if the environment is at risk of contamination, everyone who uses it will be subject to the same risk
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