IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i6p4989-d1094866.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Arsenic Elevated Groundwater Irrigation: Farmers’ Perception of Rice and Vegetable Contamination in a Naturally Arsenic Endemic Area

Author

Listed:
  • Md Rokonuzzaman

    (Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
    Department of Agricultural Extension Education, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet 3100, Bangladesh)

  • Zhihong Ye

    (School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China)

  • Chuan Wu

    (Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
    School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China)

  • Wai-Chin Li

    (Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China)

Abstract

Arsenic (As) in groundwater and its accumulation in agricultural produces has caused serious threats to human health. The majority of current research on As mainly focuses on the technical aspects while bypassing the social perspectives. Farmers are the prime stakeholders as well as executors of agricultural strategies, and their adaptation largely depends on how they perceive the risk for which a mitigation strategy is proposed. This study aims to explore how rice and vegetable farmers perceive As accumulation in their rice and vegetables as well as explore current crop- and body-loading status, the subsequent health consequences of As, and alleviation possibilities with mitigation strategies and to investigate if there is an association between their socioeconomic status and their level of perception. Results reveal that one-fourth of the farmers gave a positive message regarding the As-contamination scenario in rice and vegetables. Although 10 farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics were positively significant, distinctive emphasis should be given to five predictor variables explaining 88% variances: knowledge, direct participation in farming, information sources used, participant education, and organizational participation. Path analysis depicts that direct participation in farming presents the highest positive total effect (0.855) and direct effect (0.503), whereas information sources show the highest positive indirect effect (0.624). The mean As content in all five locations was statistically significant at the 5%, 5%, 0.1%, 1%, and 1% probability levels in scalp hairs, rice, vegetables, soils, and irrigation water, respectively. The first principal component (PC1) explains 92.5% of the variation. Significant variations were primarily explained by As levels in irrigation water, rice grain, and soil. Farmers’ perception is far behind the actual field status of As level and its transfer. Therefore, intensified priorities should be administered on the farmers’ characteristics contributing to variances in perception. The findings can be utilized for policy formulation in all As-endemic nations. More multidisciplinary research can be undertaken on farmers’ attitude towards adopting As-mitigation techniques, with a focus on the socioeconomic position found to influence farmers’ perceptions.

Suggested Citation

  • Md Rokonuzzaman & Zhihong Ye & Chuan Wu & Wai-Chin Li, 2023. "Arsenic Elevated Groundwater Irrigation: Farmers’ Perception of Rice and Vegetable Contamination in a Naturally Arsenic Endemic Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4989-:d:1094866
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/4989/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/6/4989/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dipankar Chakraborti & Sushant K. Singh & Mohammad Mahmudur Rahman & Rathindra Nath Dutta & Subhas Chandra Mukherjee & Shyamapada Pati & Probir Bijoy Kar, 2018. "Groundwater Arsenic Contamination in the Ganga River Basin: A Future Health Danger," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Xue Xie & Hualin Xie & Cheng Shu & Qing Wu & Hua Lu, 2017. "Estimation of Ecological Compensation Standards for Fallow Heavy Metal-Polluted Farmland in China Based on Farmer Willingness to Accept," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-18, October.
    3. Donna M. Dosman & Wiktor L. Adamowicz & Steve E. Hrudey, 2001. "Socioeconomic Determinants of Health‐ and Food Safety‐Related Risk Perceptions," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(2), pages 307-318, April.
    4. Lisa Segnestam, 2009. "Division of Capitals—What Role Does It Play for Gender-Differentiated Vulnerability to Drought in Nicaragua?," Community Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(2), pages 154-176, June.
    5. Mottaleb, Khondoker A. & Krupnik, Timothy J. & Keil, Alwin & Erenstein, Olaf, 2019. "Understanding clients, providers and the institutional dimensions of irrigation services in developing countries: A study of water markets in Bangladesh," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 242-253.
    6. Paul, Bimal Kanti, 2004. "Arsenic contamination awareness among the rural residents in Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 59(8), pages 1741-1755, October.
    7. Emily Elert, 2014. "Rice by the numbers: A good grain," Nature, Nature, vol. 514(7524), pages 50-51, October.
    8. Victor Owusu & John-Eudes Bakang & Robert Abaidoo & Modeste Kinane, 2012. "Perception on untreated wastewater irrigation for vegetable production in Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 135-150, February.
    9. Anthony Onwuegbuzie & Nancy Leech, 2007. "A Call for Qualitative Power Analyses," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 105-121, February.
    10. Yu, Zhenning & Yao, Lan & Wu, Mengya, 2020. "Farmers’ attitude towards the policy of remediation during fallow in soil fertility declining and heavy metal polluted area of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    11. Bouma, Jetske & Bulte, Erwin & van Soest, Daan, 2008. "Trust and cooperation: Social capital and community resource management," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 155-166, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Takeshi Aida, 2019. "Social capital as an instrument for common pool resource management: a case study of irrigation management in Sri Lanka," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 71(4), pages 952-978.
    2. Amitrajeet A. Batabyal & Hamid Beladi, 2023. "Centralized versus Decentralized Cleanup of River Water Pollution: An Application to the Ganges," Games, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-12, October.
    3. Awudu Abdulai & Wallace Huffman, 2014. "The Adoption and Impact of Soil and Water Conservation Technology: An Endogenous Switching Regression Application," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 90(1), pages 26-43.
    4. Bluffstone, Randy & Dannenberg, Astrid & Martinsson, Peter & Jha, Prakash & Bista, Rajesh, 2020. "Cooperative behavior and common pool resources: Experimental evidence from community forest user groups in Nepal," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    5. Navin Kumar & John Scott & Victor Minichiello, 2017. "Masculinity and the Occupational Experience of Male Independent Escorts Who Seek Male Clients," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, June.
    6. John Bwalya & Cecil Seethal, 2016. "Neighbourhood context and social cohesion in Southernwood, East London, South Africa," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 53(1), pages 40-56, January.
    7. Peter Atkins & Manzurul Hassan & Christine Dunn, 2007. "Environmental Irony: Summoning Death in Bangladesh," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 39(11), pages 2699-2714, November.
    8. Jiyoun Kim & Sara K. Yeo & Dominique Brossard & Dietram A. Scheufele & Michael A. Xenos, 2014. "Disentangling the Influence of Value Predispositions and Risk/Benefit Perceptions on Support for Nanotechnology Among the American Public," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(5), pages 965-980, May.
    9. Shunji Oniki & Melaku Berhe & Teklay Negash, 2020. "Role of Social Norms in Natural Resource Management: The Case of the Communal Land Distribution Program in Northern Ethiopia," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-17, January.
    10. Henk Folmer & Olof Johansson-Stenman, 2011. "Does Environmental Economics Produce Aeroplanes Without Engines? On the Need for an Environmental Social Science," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(3), pages 337-361, March.
    11. Eiji Yamamura, 2012. "Groups and information disclosure: evidence on the Olson and Putnam hypotheses in Japan," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 39(6), pages 423-439, May.
    12. Yang, Ya Ling, 2020. "Comparison of public perception and risk management decisions of aircraft noise near Taoyuan and Kaohsiung International Airports," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    13. Fatoumata Fofana & Pat Bazeley & Antoine Regnault, 2020. "Applying a mixed methods design to test saturation for qualitative data in health outcomes research," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-12, June.
    14. Yu, Zhenning & She, Shuoqi & Xia, Chuyu & Luo, Jiaojiao, 2023. "How to solve the dilemma of China’s land fallow policy: Application of voluntary bidding mode in the Yangtze River Delta of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    15. Abdulai, Awudu & Owusu, Victor & Bakang, John-Eudes A., 2011. "Adoption of safer irrigation technologies and cropping patterns: Evidence from Southern Ghana," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(7), pages 1415-1423, May.
    16. Alejandra Engler & Roberto Jara-Rojas & Carlos Bopp, 2016. "Efficient use of Water Resources in Vineyards: A Recursive joint Estimation for the Adoption of Irrigation Technology and Scheduling," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(14), pages 5369-5383, November.
    17. Johanna Brinkel & Mobarak H. Khan & Alexander Kraemer, 2009. "A Systematic Review of Arsenic Exposure and Its Social and Mental Health Effects with Special Reference to Bangladesh," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 6(5), pages 1-11, May.
    18. Alin Halimatussadiah & Budy P. Resosudarmo & Diah Widyawati, 2014. "Social Capital to Induce a Contribution to Environmental Collective Action in Indonesia: An Experimental Method," Departmental Working Papers 2014-03, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    19. Rawadee Jarungrattanapong & Suparee Boonmanunt, 2020. "Collective action and other-regarding behavior: an assessment of games vs reality in Thailand," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 22(4), pages 485-507, October.
    20. Matteo M. Galizzi & Daniel Navarro-Martinez, 2019. "On the External Validity of Social Preference Games: A Systematic Lab-Field Study," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(3), pages 976-1002, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:6:p:4989-:d:1094866. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.