Jul 2026· International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health· Vol 16, pp. 273-279· 0 citations
Abstract
Introduction: Over 66% of the population in Nepal is engaged in agriculture, where pesticide exposure is a common issue among farmer. The shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) and inadequate education on proper PPE use and spraying techniques further increase the risk of pesticide exposure. As pesticides are essential for agriculture and public health, this study aims to assess farmers' awareness regarding pesticides and their effects on health and the environment.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 5th August to 5th November 2025 in Chisapani village of Baijanath Rural Municipality using convenience sampling. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Committee. A total of 100 farmers who had been farming for more than 6 months were included in the study.
Results: Among the respondents, 74% perceived pesticides as poison; however, more than half (51%) had used them for 5 to 10 years. The highest proportion, 45% used pesticides for growing both vegetables and grains and 95% sprayed two to three times per month. More than half (52%) do not use any personal protective equipment. Only 23% knew the correct use, 30% checked the expiry date and type and 22% followed the proper directions of use. Health effects were reported by 29%, and 20% reported chronic long-term effects. Respondents who agreed that pesticides affect the environment (the pesticides contaminate surface and groundwater and soil, air, and target and non-target vegetables) were 97 %.
Conclusion: The study found a gap between awareness and safe pesticide-use practices among farmers. Most respondents recognize pesticides as poisonous but continue to use them for years, two to three times per month. Although farmers have experienced health issues, many continue to ignore them and still lack safe practices.
Introduction: Unsafe handling practices and limited awareness about the health risks are associated with pesticide exposure which makes farmer’s vulnerable to a range of occupational hazards, including acute poisoning, respiratory problems, neurological symptoms and long-term carcinogenic effects. Understanding farmer’s knowledge levels on occupational hazards is essential for planning effective health education interventions, formulating safer agricultural policies, and reducing long-term health risks.
Aims: To assess farmer’s knowledge regarding occupational hazards associated with pesticide use.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 377 respondents in Rural Municipality Baijanath ward number two Digiya located in Banke District of Nepal through simple random sampling selecting every 5th house as majority of people of that area are involved in farming.
Results: The majority of respondents 171(45.40%) were in age group 41-55 years, 198(52.50%) were female, 168(44.60%) were illiterate. Majority 151(40.10%) were unaware that pesticides could enter the human body during spraying. The most common routes by which pesticides enter in the body were inhalation 163(43.20%), ingestion through mouth 144(38.20%) and 70(18.60%) skin contact. Although 126(33.40%) of them reported pesticide exposure causes immediate (acute) health effects and chronic disease 95(25.20%) majority 135(35.80%) were unaware about acute effect and 116(30.60%) disagreed. Similarly, 205(54.40%) were unaware and 77(20.40%) disagreed it cause chronic disease. Likewise, they agreed pesticides can contaminate surface and groundwater as 167(44.30%) agreed, 135(35.80%) were unaware and 75(19.90%) disagreed.
Conclusion: The overall knowledge level can be categorized as poor because a majority of respondents lacked awareness of exposure routes, chronic effects and correct pesticide use. Attitude was also good as some respondents recognized risks but not consistently. Practices were generally poor particularly regarding personal protective equipment usage and safe handling behaviors.
S. Jyoti, Mukesh Yadav, G. J. Shah et al.· Journal of Nepalgunj Medical...· 0 citations
In Bangladesh, pesticides are frequently used in vegetable production to control pests and diseases with little consideration of their impact on the environment and human health, and their use remains largely uncontrolled despite the existence of several pesticide control rules and regulations. Against this backdrop, the study examined traditional practices, knowledge, behavior, and propensity for pesticide usage, as well as the impact of these chemicals on farmers' health and the environment. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) in the study villages. The health impact was illustrated through graphical presentations generated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), while a likelihood ratio test was used to examine links between health problems and factors such as pesticide use frequency, training level, education, and protective coverings. Results indicate that 60% of farmers apply pesticides, insecticides, and fungicides daily or weekly without necessary protective measures, and 68% rely on personal experience and fellow farmers' advice rather than Bangladesh guidelines. Harvesting often occurs within 2-5 days of pesticide application, especially for vegetables like long beans and eggplant, leading to health issues including gastric problems, headaches, nausea, skin problems, and diarrhea. Over-pesticide use also adversely affects the environment, depleting soil fertility and contaminating water. Addressing these challenges requires strengthening farmer training and awareness programs, including community-based initiatives such as Uthan Boithok, and promoting organic and sustainable farming practices that encourage the safe use of pesticides while safeguarding both farmer health and the environment.
Muhammad Hassan, Md. Jahan Boksh, Ummey Kulsum et al.· Bangladesh Journal of Admini...· 0 citations
The current study examined the use of pesticides and their safety practices among smallholder vegetable farmers in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region, Ghana. A sample size of 95 vegetable farmers who engaged in dry season vegetable farming was considered. Data collection was done using interview guide and structured questionnaire, and data analysis was done using descriptive statistics including frequencies, mean, and standard deviations. The most (49%) cultivated vegetable was pepper, followed by garden eggs (26%) and tomatoes (25%). Generally, 64.2% of farmers claimed that they had taken pesticides safety training in the last two years, whereas 35.8% did not take any pesticides safety training. Of the total farmers who took the training, the majority (83.6%) found the training useful, while 16.4% felt otherwise. Mostly, 54.1% of training was conducted in farmers' farm field, and hence the importance of practical approach cannot be underestimated. Insecticides were the mostly (74.7%) used pesticides, followed by fungicides (15.8%) and herbicides/rodenticides (9.5%). Despite the fact that 58.9% of farmers knew about the health effects of pesticides, 41.1% were ignorant of it. Similarly, (65.3%) were unaware of government-banned pesticides, raising concerns about the potential use of prohibited products. Economic considerations strongly influenced pesticide selection, with (47.4%) citing price and (31.6%) citing potency. More than half (51.6%) reported not using personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide application. The study concludes that although the majority of smallholder vegetable farmers in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality had received pesticide safety training and demonstrated some awareness of pesticide-related health and environmental risks, a gap remained between their knowledge of pesticide safety and the adoption of appropriate safety practices. The study therefore, recommends continuous, participatory pesticide safety education using pictorial materials, demonstrations, local languages, and practical field exercises, alongside improved access to affordable PPE and greater engagement with agro-input dealers and regulatory institutions. Such integrated interventions could promote safer pesticide use and reduce associated health and environmental risks among vegetable farmers.
A. Abujaja, Jacob Pwoawuvi· European Scientific Journal· 0 citations
OBJECTIVE
The misuse of pesticides in agriculture poses serious environmental and public health risks. This study assessed patterns of pesticide use and self-reported health symptoms among farmers in Gombe State, Nigeria.
METHODS
A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire among 146 farmers in the Yamaltu-Deba local government area. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, pesticide types used, handling practices, self-reported health symptoms following pesticide application, and perceptions of environmental impacts were collected.
RESULTS
Among the pesticides reported by farmers, organophosphates (36%), organochlorines (34%), pyrethroids (22.7%), and carbamates (7.5%) were commonly used. The most frequently self-reported symptoms after pesticide application were headaches (55.2%), dizziness (54.3%), itchy eyes (49.5%), stomachache (43.5%), and respiratory symptoms (41.6%). Most farmers (78.2%) were unaware that pesticide use could affect biodiversity. Only 22% of the respondents reported reading and following the instructions on the pesticide label, whereas 64% had never received training on safe pesticide handling. Spearman's correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between gender and both health effects (r = 0.452, p < .05) and handling procedures (r = 0.452, p < .05), indicating that male farmers reported more symptoms and riskier practices. Years of experience showed a significant negative correlation with health effects (r = -0.633, p < .01), suggesting that formal training remains critically inadequate, although experience may lead to adaptive behaviors.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings reveal gaps in farmers' knowledge of pesticide risks, limited adherence to safety practices, and a high prevalence of self-reported symptoms consistent with pesticide exposure. The findings underscore the urgent need for stricter regulatory enforcement, targeted farmer education programs that overcome language and literacy barriers, and the promotion of safer pest management alternatives to mitigate escalating environmental and public health risks in Nigeria.
M. B. Sulaiman, Babangida Hammani, A. Gimba et al.· Journal of Agromedicine· 0 citations
Background: The use of pesticides in market gardening presents challenges for the management of agricultural practices across various cropping systems in Côte d'Ivoire, where demand for fresh vegetables continues to increase.
Objective: This study aims to analyse the sociodemographic characteristics influencing pesticide use and management among market gardeners in the region.
Methodology: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 128 vegetable growers in Abidjan and Bouaké from 2022 to 2024. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics and tests of proportions.
Results: Overall, 95.31% of the market gardeners interviewed were men, and 42.19% had no formal education. Of the pesticides recorded, 30% in Abidjan and 42.86% in Bouaké were banned or unregistered. In Abidjan, 20% of the pesticides belonged to toxicological class Ia, whereas 17% in Bouaké belonged to class Ib. Several risky practices were observed: 82.81% and 71.87% of market gardeners purchased pesticides from market vendors; 76.56% and 79.69% disposed of empty pesticide containers in fields or natural environments; 79.69% and 67.19% did not understand the hazard pictograms; and 73.43% and 59.37% stored pesticides in their fields in Abidjan and Bouaké, respectively.
Conclusion: The findings indicate pesticide-management practices that may pose risks to farmers, consumers and the environment. Strengthening health education, improving access to training and promoting agroecological practices are necessary to reduce pesticide exposure.
Edwige Pamela Assalé, Emile S. F. Tchicaya, Mathias Danho et al.· Asian Journal of Agricultura...· 0 citations
Pesticide use is widespread in cotton-based farming, while occupational exposure
among farmers involves multiple pesticide-use, storage, and protective practices
that are often assessed separately. This study aimed to characterize pesticide use.
exposure patterns among cotton farmers in northern Cameroon and examine
factors associated with protective and storage practices with a One Health-informed framework. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from August to
December 2024 among 245 cotton farmers in Gaschiga, Guider, and Touboro
using purposive sampling and structured face-to-face questionnaires. The results
showed that cotton farming is dominated by men (93.1%), who are 44 years old.
Pesticide use was reported by 97.6% of farmers, and 63.3% of them use multiple
pesticide categories. The risky storage was reported by 83.3% of respondents, and
28.6% use PPE. Farm size was significantly (p < 0.001) higher, and the percentage
of farmers using PPE was reduced (p < 0.001) in Touboro compared to Gaschiga
and Guider. PCA summarized 66.1% of total variance on the first two components.
(PC1 = 44.6%; PC2 = 21.5%), and hierarchical clustering of PCA scores identified
three pesticide-use and management profiles. Firth penalized logistic regression.
showed significant associations between locality and both multiple PPE uses and
risky pesticide storage. Furthermore, substantial heterogeneity was observed.
between pesticide use and management practices among surveyed farmers. It was
concluded that cotton farmers used a broad variety of pesticides, application
intensities, storage practices, and protective behaviors. Locality was reported as a
risk factor associated with PPE use and risky pesticide storage.
Amraou Aminatou, D. N. Dongock, E. Ndo et al.· Journal of Animal Science an...· 0 citations
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