Faculty of Graduate Studies, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.
Department of Natural Resources, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, Belihuloya, Sri Lanka.
Environ Monit Assess. 2021 Dec 3;193(12):860. doi: 10.1007/s10661-021-09611-z.
Pesticides are widely used in tropical regions of the world, and therefore explorations of user practices and drivers of pesticide usage among farmers are important for sustainable agriculture. Therefore, perceptions, knowledge, and drivers leading to the practices of pesticide use among farmers were explored using a semi-structured questionnaire survey using 246 farmers in upcountry vegetable growing areas and low country field crop cultivation areas in tropical Sri Lanka. The study revealed a significant increase in pesticide usage in upcountry vegetable growing areas. The differences in pesticide user practices; adulteration of pesticides prior to application (χ2 = 11.201, p < 0.05), environmental and occupational safety (χ2 = 5.556, p < 0.05), adoption of chemical pesticide reduction methods (χ2 = 12.452, p < 0.05) and received training on effective use of pesticides (χ2 = 9.427, p < 0.05). Several reasons of misuse of pesticides by farmers were identified. Among them, lack of technical knowledge on pesticide application and integrated pest management (IPM) practices were the main courses. Most of the farmers tend to use pesticides as a precautionary safety measure before any pest or disease symptoms emerge. Further, pesticide retailers had a strong influence on the selection of pesticides by farmers suggesting that agro-marketing has a significant influence over pesticide usage among farmers. The canonical correspondence analysis indicates that farmers' knowledge of the correct handling of pesticides were positively influenced by the farmers' level of education and training received on pesticide usage (p < 0.05). The study suggests the importance of training, extension services and farmer education to improve the levels of knowledge and awareness of farmers on the risks of pesticides to human health and environmental pollution.
农药在世界热带地区广泛使用，因此探索农民的农药使用习惯和驱动因素对于可持续农业至关重要。因此，本研究采用半结构式问卷，对热带斯里兰卡高原蔬菜种植区和低地大田作物种植区的 246 名农民进行了调查，探讨了农民使用农药的认知、知识和驱动因素。研究结果表明，高原蔬菜种植区的农药使用量显著增加。在农药使用者行为方面存在差异，包括在使用农药前进行掺假（χ2 = 11.201，p < 0.05）、环境和职业安全（χ2 = 5.556，p < 0.05）、采用化学农药减少方法（χ2 = 12.452，p < 0.05）和接受有效使用农药培训（χ2 = 9.427，p < 0.05）。确定了农民滥用农药的几个原因。其中，缺乏农药应用和综合病虫害管理（IPM）实践的技术知识是主要原因。大多数农民倾向于在出现任何病虫害症状之前使用农药作为预防安全措施。此外，农药零售商对农民选择农药有很大的影响，这表明农业营销对农民的农药使用有重大影响。典型对应分析表明，农民对农药正确处理的认知受到农民接受的农药使用培训和教育水平的积极影响（p < 0.05）。研究表明，培训、推广服务和农民教育的重要性，以提高农民对农药对人类健康和环境污染风险的认识和意识水平。
