Occupational hazards, health costs, and pesticide handling practices among vegetable growers in Pakistan
Yasir Mehmooda b✉, Muhammad Umair Arshadc d, Nasir Mahmoode, Harald Kächeled f, Rong Kongg
- aDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Electronic address: yasir.mehmood@numspak.edu.pk
- bDepartment of Social and Behavioral Sciences, National University of Medical Sciences, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- cDepartment of Economics, School of Social Sciences and Humanities (S3H), National University of Science and Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
- dLeibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Eberswalder Straße 84, 15374, Müncheberg, Germany
- eDepartment of Economics & Agricultural Economics, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- fEberswalde University for Sustainable Development, Schicklerstraße 5, 16225, Eberswalde, Germany
- gCollege of Economics and Management, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
- ✉Corresponding author
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Abstract
Disregarding protective measures when handling pesticides in agricultural production imposes increased health risks and health costs on farmers as well as degrades the natural ecosystem. In Pakistan, where agriculture is the prime occupation in rural communities, there is overwhelming evidence of indiscriminate use of hazardous pesticides by farmers without taking adequate precautions. Using cross-sectional data, we examined personal protection and health costs to vegetable growers due to pesticide exposure and determinants of farmers' pesticide handling practices. The theory of averting behavior was used, and the possible factors affecting farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers were estimated using a logit model. Health effects (P < 0.05) and farmers' protection and health costs (P < 0.01) are found as important determinants of farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers. The mean protection and health cost of pesticide exposure per farmer per vegetable season in 2019 was US $3.60. Analytical outcomes indicate that safe and recommended pesticide handling practices are needed to be introduced through adequate integrated pest management (IPM) training programs and by improving farmers' formal education. Thus, creating awareness through IPM training programs among vegetable growers and enhancing formal education to encourage the adoption of precautionary measures and safe disposal methods for pesticide containers may reduce health risks and health costs. Findings imply that adoption of adequate pesticide handling practices would further help reduce occupational hazards and promote sustainable agriculture in Pakistan.
TL;DRAnalytical outcomes indicate that safe and recommended pesticide handling practices are needed to be introduced through adequate integrated pest management (IPM) training programs and by improving farmers' formal education to reduce health risks and health costs. (Semantic Scholar)