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Rice Farmers’ Perception on Occupational Risk Exposure to Pesticides in Bangladesh

A. A. Smrity
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M.J. Hoque
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M.Z. Rahman
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M.N.A.S. Mithun
Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

M.A.U. Khan
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Rice is a staple food and pesticides have become a dominant input for the production of rice in Bangladesh. To protect the farmers’ health and environment, farmers’ understanding about risk on occupational risk exposure to pesticides is a crucial matter. Accordingly, a study was carried out in Khagdohor union of Mymensingh Sadar upazila (sub-district) under Mymensingh district in Bangladesh to assess the rice farmers’ perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides. An interview schedule was used to collect data during March- April 2018 from 100 rice farmers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, rank order and coefficient of correlation. The majority of the rice farmers (73%) had a medium to a high level of perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides in the study area. Among twenty (20) statements on four (4) dimensions: ‘eating, drinking or smoking could be done during mixing and loading’; ‘after applying pesticides more time should be taken to change clothes or to take bath’; ‘pesticide storehouse can be also used for storing food, firewood, farming equipment and kitchen utensils; and ‘pesticides do not kill the target or non-target organisms (snakes, worms, insects, mudskippers etc.)’ were the first ranked perceived risks by the rice farmers on occupational risk exposure to pesticides regarding handling; application; storage and disposal; and human health and biodiversity stages, respectively. It was revealed that the influential factors such as education, household size, farm size, annual income, organizational participation, training received, extension media contact, ownership of pesticide applicators, and perception on the use of pesticides of the rice farmers were significantly associated with the rice farmers’ perception on occupational risk exposure to pesticides. The study specified some recommendations for the policymakers to address the aforesaid influential factors of the rice farmers on occupational risk exposure to pesticides in the study area. Moreover, awareness-raising programs, credit facilities, proper training on safety measures and suitable extension services could play a significant role in lessening the risks of the rice farmers on occupational exposure to pesticides.

Keywords: Rice farmers’ Perception, Occupational risk exposure, Pesticides, Bangladesh

Location: Khagdohor union of Mymensingh Sadar upazila (sub-district) under Mymensingh district in Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-00-2018

End Date: 00-00-2018

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Commodity: Pesticide

Objectives:

To identify socio-economic characteristics of the rice farmers; assess the extent of rice farmers’ perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides, and determine the factors associated with rice farmers’ perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides.

Methodology:

The study was carried out in Khagdohor union of Mymensingh Sadar upazila (sub-district) under Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. The upazila occupies an area of 388.45 km² and located between 24°38' and 24°54' north latitudes and between 90°11' and 90°30' east longitudes. Mymensingh district is a very prominent area for rice production and consisted of 13 sub-districts. According to upazila agriculture office, among these sub-districts, Mymensingh Sadar upazila has been selected purposively for investigation as rice cultivation is more in this sub-district than the others along with the utilization of pesticides at According to the list collected from the agriculture office of the Mymensingh Sadar upazila, there were a total of 1000 rice farmers in Khagdohor union, constituted the population of the study. However, 100 rice farmers (10% of the total population) were selected randomly for the survey. Data were collected during March-April, 2018 through face-to-face interviews by using a structured interview schedule. Alongside, two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 20 rice farmers (10 in each session) were conducted using an open-ended questionnaire. The outputs of the FGDs were used to refine the interview schedule as well as to interpret the results. The survey instrument was pre-tested with 15 respondents (who did not participate in the final survey) to identify the inconsistencies and modified accordingly. The first section of the interview schedule consisted of the socio-economic characteristics of the rice farmers, and the second section consisted of farmers’ perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides in the study area. The rice farmers’ perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides was measured by using a five-point Likert scale (Rensis, 1932). There were a total of twenty (20) statements as identified from FGDs and available literature which were divided into four dimensions such as handling (transportation, mixing), application, storage and disposal, and human health and biodiversity. The positive and negative statements were arranged randomly in the schedule in order to obtain the real picture of the risks of pesticides. The respondents were asked to indicate for each of the statements, whether they strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree and strongly disagree with a corresponding score of 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0, respectively for the positive statements and vice versa for the negative statements. Hence, the scale score ranged from 0 to 80, where 0 indicates a high level of perception by the rice farmers and 80 indicates no perception of occupational risk exposure to pesticides.

Source of Information: Journal of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Vol 1 No 4 December 2020 Pages 41-47

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: https://doi.org/10.47440/JAFE.2020.1407

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

From the study, it is evident that the rice farmers in the study area assess a number of occupational risks exposure to pesticides, of which, ‘eating, drinking or smoking could be done during mixing and loading’; ‘after applying pesticides more time should be taken to change clothes or to take bath’; ‘pesticide storehouse can be also used for storing food, firewood, farming equipment and kitchen utensils; and ‘pesticides do not kill the target or non-target organisms (snakes, worms, insects, mudskippers etc.)’ were significant. The degree of perception is further determined by the socio-economic characteristics of the rice farmers. Lack of training and low access to extension services are likely to be vital determinants that the farmers addressed during the survey. However, proper attempts by the extension personnel could limit this weakness. Several factors such as education, household size, farm size, annual income, organizational participation, training received, extension media contact, ownership of pesticide applicators, and perception on the use of pesticides of the rice farmers were found to be associated with the rice farmers’ perception on occupational risk exposure to pesticides. This indicates an opportunity to work on those features to the risks of the farmers. Therefore, it is highly recommended that there is a need for continuous pesticide safety education along with training to the farmers regarding the use of personal protective devices, personal hygiene and sanitation practices during and after application of pesticides. In addition, the supervisory mechanism and environmental monitoring systems for pesticides need to be strengthened on the safe use of pesticides regarding the environment and human health.

Knowledge Management: Journal