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Egyptian Farmers' Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Agricultural Pesticides: Implications for Pesticide Risk Communication

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  • Olurominiyi O. Ibitayo

Abstract

The need to boost pre‐ and postharvest agricultural productivity serves as a powerful driving force for developing countries to promote the use of agricultural pesticides. Pesticides are, however, “poisons by design” and poisonings resulting from unsafe use of these chemicals are the most prevalent and serious occupational hazards faced by agricultural workers in developing countries. This article provides the results of a study designed to investigate the extent of unsafe use of pesticides by farmers in one of the largest agricultural areas in Egypt, the farmers' knowledge about pesticides, and their preferred sources of receiving risk information on pesticides. The results of this study show a high level of unsafe use of pesticides and inappropriate methods of disposal of empty pesticide containers. Also, knowledge about pesticides is scant. Notwithstanding that more than half of the farmers obtain regular drinking water from wells, most of the respondents were “not sure” as to whether or not pesticides may contaminate groundwater. The low level of knowledge about pesticides can be attributed to relatively low levels of education and that almost all the respondents have never participated in a pesticide education program. This article concludes with a recommendation for pesticide and pesticide use education programs, especially through “ministry officials” who most of the respondents seem to trust regarding receiving pesticide information.

Suggested Citation

  • Olurominiyi O. Ibitayo, 2006. "Egyptian Farmers' Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Agricultural Pesticides: Implications for Pesticide Risk Communication," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(4), pages 989-995, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:riskan:v:26:y:2006:i:4:p:989-995
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1539-6924.2006.00794.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Adekunle, C.P. & Akinbode, S.O. & Akerele, D. & Oyekale, T.O. & Koyi, O.V., 2017. "Effects of agricultural pesticide utilization on farmers health in Egbeda Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria," Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Economics, Nigerian Journal of Agricultural Economics, vol. 7(1), October.
    2. Diendéré, Achille & Nguyen, Geneviève & Del Corso, Jean-Pierre & Kephaliacos, Charilaos, 2018. "Modeling the Relationship Between Pesticide Use and Farmers' Beliefs about Water Pollution in Burkina Faso," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 114-121.
    3. Marta Regina Cezar-Vaz & Clarice Alves Bonow & Joana Cezar Vaz, 2015. "Risk Communication Concerning Welding Fumes for the Primary Preventive Care of Welding Apprentices in Southern Brazil," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    4. Christopher Nwadike & Victoria Ibukun Joshua & Paulina J. S. Doka & Rahaf Ajaj & Ummu Abubakar Hashidu & Sajoh Gwary-Moda & Mela Danjin & Haruna Musa Moda, 2021. "Occupational Safety Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice among Farmers in Northern Nigeria during Pesticide Application—A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-13, September.
    5. Sovit Parajuli & Bishal Mahatara & Srijan Budhathoki & Manoj Paudel & Kiran Parajuli & Aavash Adhikari, 2021. "Scenario Of Pesticide Import, Formulation, Consumption And The Residue Status Among Agricultural Crops In Nepal," Big Data In Agriculture (BDA), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 3(2), pages 94-99, July.
    6. Christos A. Damalas & Ilias G. Eleftherohorinos, 2011. "Pesticide Exposure, Safety Issues, and Risk Assessment Indicators," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Xiaofeng Fan & Zhaojun Wang & Yumeng Wang, 2024. "Rural Business Environments, Information Channels, and Farmers’ Pesticide Utilization Behavior: A Grounded Theory Analysis in Hainan Province, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-27, January.
    8. Nufail Khan & Alison Kennedy & Jacqueline Cotton & Susan Brumby, 2019. "A Pest to Mental Health? Exploring the Link between Exposure to Agrichemicals in Farmers and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-20, April.
    9. Philip Aniah & Millar Katherine Kaunza-Nu-Dem & Philemon Puordeme Dong-Uuro & Joseph A. Ayembilla & Issaka Kanton Osumanu, 2021. "Vegetable farmers’ knowledge on pesticides use in Northwest Ghana," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 7273-7288, May.
    10. Asghar Bagheri & Naier Emami & Christos A. Damalas, 2023. "Monitoring point source pollution by pesticide use: an analysis of farmers’ environmental behavior in waste disposal," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 6711-6726, July.
    11. Kirui, O., 2018. "Skill Development, Human Capital and Economic Outcomes: Impact of Post-Secondary Education among Smallholder Farmers in Africa," 2018 Conference, July 28-August 2, 2018, Vancouver, British Columbia 277068, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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