Faculty of Science, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
College of Agriculture Education, Akenten Appiah - Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Mampong, Ashanti, Ghana.
Environ Monit Assess. 2024 Sep 19;196(10):955. doi: 10.1007/s10661-024-13124-w.
In Ghana, widespread backyard farming on arable land with refuse waste is driven by the enriched physicochemical properties of dumpsite soils, supporting crop growth. However, the enhanced levels of heavy metals have raised concerns among policymakers focusing on the environmental challenges posed by dumpsites soil. The purpose of the study was to assess the awareness of dumpsites farmers on soil physicochemical properties and dangers posed by accumulated toxic heavy metals. A total of 100 vegetable farmers were interviewed in three communities to gauge their awareness of dumpsite soil properties and potential contamination. A semi-structured questionnaire was purposively used to solicit for information from farmers. Chi-square (χ) test of homogeneity was used to ascertain if there was any uniformity among respondents in the different communities studied. The findings showed that the level of education of the famers had no relationship (p = 0.21) with farmers' educational level. Dumpsites farmers' knowledge on soil physicochemical properties had a significant (p = 0.02) relationship with farmers' awareness of toxic elements in dumpsites. Farmers' soil physicochemical knowledge further had a significant (p = 0.03) relationship with their awareness that, plants on dumpsites absorb toxic elements. Furthermore, ailments commonly associated with heavy metals as reported by farmers included skin rashes, cough, diarrhoea, and cholera. It can be concluded that although dumpsite farmers exhibit some awareness about the physicochemical properties of their soil and the risks associated with toxic heavy metals, there is still room for improvement. Despite education levels not significantly impacting awareness, targeted intervention programs are necessary to enhance understanding and address this pressing issue effectively. We recommend an implementation of a tailored educational programs for dumpsite farmers to enhance understanding of soil properties and heavy metal risks. There should be improved access to soil testing and interpretation to enable informed decision-making among farmers. Foster collaborations among stakeholders for sustainable waste management, soil remediation, and health monitoring to mitigate heavy metal contamination are also recommended.
在加纳，人们广泛地在耕地后院进行垃圾农业，这是由垃圾场土壤丰富的物理化学特性驱动的，这些特性支持了作物的生长。然而，重金属水平的提高引起了政策制定者的关注，他们关注的是垃圾场土壤带来的环境挑战。本研究的目的是评估垃圾场农民对土壤物理化学性质和积累的有毒重金属所带来的危险的认识。在三个社区共采访了 100 名蔬菜农民，以评估他们对垃圾场土壤性质和潜在污染的认识。使用半结构式问卷有意向农民征求信息。使用卡方（χ）检验来确定不同研究社区的受访者之间是否存在一致性。研究结果表明，农民的教育水平与农民的教育水平没有关系（p=0.21）。垃圾场农民对土壤物理化学性质的认识与他们对垃圾场有毒元素的认识有显著关系（p=0.02）。农民对土壤物理化学性质的了解与他们对植物在垃圾场吸收有毒元素的认识有显著关系（p=0.03）。此外，农民报告的与重金属有关的常见疾病包括皮疹、咳嗽、腹泻和霍乱。可以得出结论，尽管垃圾场农民对其土壤的物理化学性质和与有毒重金属相关的风险表现出一定的认识，但仍有改进的空间。尽管教育水平对意识没有显著影响，但仍需要实施有针对性的干预计划，以提高认识并有效解决这一紧迫问题。我们建议为垃圾场农民实施定制的教育计划，以增强他们对土壤特性和重金属风险的理解。应该改善对土壤测试和解释的获取，以使农民能够做出明智的决策。还建议利益相关者之间建立合作关系，以进行可持续的废物管理、土壤修复和健康监测，以减轻重金属污染。
