Abstract:
Farmers’ knowledge on pesticides use, the practices and the associated health effects is of great importance. The effect of pesticides on human health and the environment is a major global public health issue. The main objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and practices on pesticide use against the bean fly and the associated health effects among bean smallholder farmers in Kabaru location, Nyeri County. A cross-sectional study design was used in which a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to three hundred and eighty-five study respondents who were selected using systematic random sampling method. The selection was based on whether they had used pesticides in the past and consented to participate in the study. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure knowledge and practices. Data were analyzed using SPSS software and summarized as contingency tables or graphs. Differences between response categories were determined using the Chi-square test at p≤0.05 level of significance. Majority of the respondents were male (74%) farmers aged between 26 and 58 years. More than half of the respondents had completed secondary education (52%) while 38% had primary education. Most (90%) of the respondents had crop production and livestock as their only sources of income. The pesticides used in this study were from the organophosphates, 18% (Diazinon, and Dimethoate) pyrethroids, 55% (Karate, Bull dock, Pestox, Brigade, Cyclone and Decis), neonicotinoids 18% (Actara and Confidor), and carbamate 9% (Pirimor) chemical families. All the pesticides belonged to the WHO class II which are moderately hazardous chemicals. Ninety-six percent of the respondents had good knowledge on pesticide use while 76% had safe practices. All the surveyed farmers used personal protective equipment and most of them read pesticide labels. Majority (94%) knew that pesticide containers have signs marking their toxicity levels, but only 60% did not know the signs marking the most dangerous pesticide. 72% stored their pesticides in their farm stores. Most of them (68%) disposed the empty pesticide containers in their garbage pit in and a few (20%) in the common self-group disposal pit. Moreover, majority of the respondents had received pesticide training in the past. The major self-reported clinical effects following pesticide use were headache, backache, dizziness, eye problem and sneezing. Most of the farmers did not go to hospital after experiencing signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning and did not take medicine either but did wash their hands, took bath and removed PPE after experiencing the health effects of pesticide exposure. Although the farmers had a good knowledge of the hazards of pesticides, they utilized undesirable practices such as incomplete use of Personal Protective Equipment which made them experience the adverse health effects. In addition, they did not exercise the precautionary measures after experiencing the signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning. Therefore, more training is recommended to promote pesticide knowledge and safer practices to all the farmers.
