Knowledge, Practice and Use of Pesticides Among Commercial Vegetable Growers of Kaski District Nepal

Author(s):

Yadav Bandhu Bhurtyal , Padmashree School of Public Health; Prof. Ramesh Kanbargi, Padmashree School of Public Health; Dr. Umashankar S., Padmashree School of Public Health; Sudarshan Dhungana, Padmashree School of Public Health; Sudhan Poudel, Padmashree School of Public Health

Keywords:

Vegetables, Pesticides, Health Effects, IPM, Trainings, Awareness

Abstract:

Increasing use of pesticides, deteriorating ecosystem health has advocated the need to change traditional and external input use agriculture towards safe and sustainable production. A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted to evaluate knowledge, practice and use of pesticides among commercial vegetable growers of Kaski district of Nepal. Around 80.0 %( 77.1%) of the vegetable growers were using pesticides for more than ten years. All the vegetable growers were using highly hazardous (Ib) pesticides. Almost80.0% of the vegetable growers spray pesticides more than six times in a year. Less than half (44.3%) of the vegetable growers know the adverse effect of pesticides and more than half (62.9%) of the vegetable growers experienced symptoms of health hazards. Waiting period for picking vegetable is less than four days for nearly two-third (61.9%) of the vegetable growers. Majority of the vegetable growers (88.6%) did not receive any official training on pesticides and nearly two third (61.9%) of the vegetable growers doesn’t read information available in pesticide label. Majority of the vegetable growers were using mask and gloves as Personal Protective Equipment during pesticide application. The use of other personal protective equipments was very less. Majority of the vegetable growers (89.5%) were not aware about Integrated Pest Management Technique. Majority of the vegetable growers (89.5%) mix the pesticides with their bare hands. More than half of the vegetable growers wash the vegetables and pesticides applicators in rivers, canals and streams. The need for awareness, education and training on the uses of pesticides to the farmers and effective monitoring program for pesticide residues in vegetables is recommended from this study.

Other Details:

Manuscript Id	:	IJSTEV3I3105
Published in	:	Volume : 3, Issue : 3
Publication Date	:	01/10/2016
Page(s)	:	196-200

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