| dc.description.abstract | This study set out to assess farmers’ knowledge and perceptions of safety precautions for
handling, mixing, application and disposal of pesticides as well as investigate the
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farmers’ level of compliance with these safety precautions for the use and disposal of
pesticides. The study was undertaken as a survey using a semi structured questionnaire.
The findings of this study indicated that for this particular group of farmers, their level of
awareness of safety precautions for handling, mixing and applying was very high
however the level of awareness of safety precautions for disposal of pesticides was
comparatively lower. In addition, the findings showed that these farmers had a positive
attitude towards safety precautions for handling and mixing of pesticides but when it
came to, application and disposal, the farmers disagreed with the safety precautions or
didn’t have any opinions about them.
Furthermore, the findings of this study indicated that the farmers’ level of compliance
with safety precautions for the use and disposal of pesticides was low whereby majority
of the farmers either never complied with certain precautions for example for the case of
triple rinsing or complied some of the time.The findings showed that while farmers were
largely aware and had positive attitudes towards the safety precautions, the awareness
was centered around human health or personal safety more than it was for environmental
safety and protection.
Therefore, in light of these findings, measures to train farmers in pesticide safety with
emphasis on environmental protection should be developed and under taken at the
regulatory and institutional levels as well as the district and sub county agricultural
offices. | en_US |
