Behaviour, Practices and Attitudes of Farmers Regarding the use of Pesticides at the Agricultural Frontier in the South of the Amazon State

Abstract

Purpose: Study the pesticides used on the agricultural frontier in Amazonas and evaluate the behavior, practices and attitudes of farmers in relation to the storage, handling and disposal of pesticide packaging.   Method: 89 interviews were carried out between 2020 and 2021 with pesticide applicators living in five municipalities in the south of Amazonas. The behavior of farmers in relation to health and environmental protection was evaluated. We determined the correlation between health behavior and environmental protection with the variables: age, education, income, label reading and technical assistance, using the Spearman Rho test and the Cochran test.   Results and conclusion: The majority of farmers use PPE incompletely (79%) or do not use any form of protection, store pesticides inappropriately, dispose of packaging incorrectly or do not receive technical assistance. A total of 42% of farmers demonstrated unsafe health care behavior. In terms of environmental protection, 35% of farmers demonstrate behaviors that potentially promote environmental risks. It is urgent to reverse this trend through the implementation of public policies that include free technical support programs for small, low-income farmers. Educational programs that provide information on the correct use of pesticides and environmental and health risks must be adapted to the local reality.   Research implications: The contribution of the research is knowledge of the use of pesticides in the South of Amazonas, demonstrating that in addition to the environmental and health problems caused by deforestation and fires in the agricultural frontier of the Brazilian Amazon, a new problem may arise: environmental and human contamination. by pesticides used on crops and pastures.   Originality value: This research is original and demonstrates the ways in which pesticides are used in the agricultural frontier of southern Amazonas, as well as its main implications.