Limited Knowledge and Unsafe Practices in Usage of Pesticides and The Associated Toxicity Symptoms among Farmers in Tullo and Finchawa Rural Kebeles, Hawassa City, Sidama Regional State, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

The insufficient knowledge regarding safe and proper pesticide handling by farmers in developing countries has led to extensive agricultural expansions at the expense of the health of farmers. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and field practices of farmers regarding pesticide handling, and to determine the prevalence of acute and chronic health-related problems in Finchawa and Tullo rural Kebeles of Hawassa City Administration. A cross-sectional mixed methods research design was employed to capture the fuller image of the issue. Farmers’ knowledge regarding pesticide handling and toxicity found to be on average. The odds of the knowledge concerning proper pesticide handling was positively influenced by the factor of age, access to training; and years of experience; Field practices adopted by farmers were disappointing and intentional suicide incidents among teenagers were the result of farmers’ unsafe storage. Nearly all the farmers did not use any means of PPE, and the lack of awareness about the dermal route presented a high risk of exposure. The common self-reported toxicity symptoms experienced by the participants included a headache (84.93%) and slow heartbeats (72.60%). The odds of prevalence of long-term toxicity symptoms found to be negatively correlated with the training factor while the same was positively influenced by the working hours in the farm. The study revealed that there is a high risk of exposure among farmers and their families in the study area.