Studies on Pesticide Use Knowledge and Practices of Small-Scale Onion Producing Farmers in Controlling Onion Thrips, Thrips Tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), on Onion, Allium Cepa L, and Analysis of Organochlorine and Organophosphate Pesticide Residues in Onion in Kewet District, Central Ethiopia
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Date
2022-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Synthetic chemical pesticides especially synthetic chemical insecticides have been widely and tremendously used in agriculture in the world including Ethiopia to safeguard crops from pest damages. However, there is a growing global perspective and concern on the extensive, excessive, indiscriminate and inappropriate use and unsafe handling and application of pesticides with inadequate knowledge, technical support and equipment, and its consequent adverse effects and potential threats to human health, food safety (quality of food) and the environment. The main objective of the present study was to assess and evaluate levels of synthetic chemical pesticide (synthetic chemical insecticide) use knowledge and practices of small-scale onion cultivating farmers in controlling onion thrips on onion, and analysis (analytical determination and evaluation) of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticide residues in onion in Kewet district, central Ethiopia. In the quantitative field survey research, a total of 385 smallholder onion producing farmers selected randomly from three purposively selected administrative ‘kebeles’ (a ‘kebele’ is the lowest administrative structure) in Kewet district were included for the interview and data were collected using a standardized structured questionnaire administerd in in-depth face-to-face interview during 2020. In the analytical experimental study, analysis (analytical determination and evaluation) of concentration and contamination (pollution) levels of thirteen organochlorine and two organophosphate pesticide residues in onion samples taken from Shewa Robit (Shewa Robit is the main town and the major market place in Kewet district) in accordance with sampling procedures of Codex and European Commission were performed using Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) sample preparation method and gas gromatography (GC) coupled with mass selective detector (MSD) analytical instrumednt. In the survey study, all (100%) respondent farmers reported that onion thrips is the major and serious insect pest of onion attacking in every growing season (year), and all (100%) of them used synthetic chemical pesticides (synthetic chemical insecticides) to control onion thrips on onion; however, none of the study participants have ever received any formal training and technical support on the appropriate and safe use, handling and application of pesticides and pesticide use safety measures (safety precautions and safety practices of pesticide use) like use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during pesticide use and application.
Knowledge, awareness and understanding of the participant farmers on the appropriate and safe use, handling and application of pesticides and adverse effects of inappropriate and unsafe pesticide use, handling and application to human health and the environment is very low where only about one third (34.8%) of the respondents perceived that exposure to pesticides could have some harmful effects to human health, while only about a liitle more than a quarter (29.1%) of them thought exposure to pesticides could have some negative impact on the environment. Most (93.8%) of the study subjects do not have any knowledge and awareness of the importance of wearing PPE during pesticide use (when handling and application of pesticides), and none of them used any PPE when handling (purchasing, storing, preparation (mixing), application (spraying)) of pesticides and disposal of pesticide wastes including empty pesticide containers. The most (96.9%) respondent farmers discarded empty pesticide containers on-farm (in the open field), and none of the study participants were aware of the pesticide legislations of Ethiopia. In the analytical experimental study, four pesticide residues were detected in onion samples, namely, α-HCH (0.004 mg/kg), β-HCH (0.001 mg/kg), heptachlor epoxide (0.007 mg/kg), and DDE (0.008 mg/kg) out of the pesticides analysed for their residues. And, all the pesticide residues detected were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by Japan, EU, Codex (FAO/WHO) and USA. The investigations of the survey study demonstrate that onion farmers in the study area are in overall lack of knowledge, awareness and understanding of the appropriate and safe use, handling and application of pesticides and pesticide use safety measures, and the farmers have been adopting and operationalizing inappropriate pesticide use practices against proper pesticide use safety behaviours. The farmers’ overall lack of knowledge, awareness and perception of the appropriate and safe use, handling and application of pesticides and their improper pesticide use practices adversely affect human health, the environment and food safety (quality standard of food). The study emphasizes on urgently developing and formulating holistic pesticide policy and pesticide use intervention strategies and intervention measures including designing comprehensive formal educational training programs and stable technical support and advisory platforms on appropriate and safe use, handling and application of pesticides and pesticide use safety measures (safety precautions and safety practices of pesticide use) and on harmful effects of inappropriate and unsafe
pesticide use, handling and application to human health, quality of food (food safety) and the environment, and immediately addressing and delivering at least to the farmers, pesticide vendors, agricultural extension workers (agricultural extenstion professionals) and beyond, presenting to them on continuous and regular basis to elevate their levels of knowledge awareness, understanding and perception of this alarming and threatening issue (pesticide use challenges) in Ethiopia encompassing the study area and taking the present research as a case study. Importantly, necessary amendment (making inclusive) and stringent enforcement of the national pesticide laws of Ethiopia at all levels is promptly required. The results of the analytical experimental study do not demonstrate an unacceptable health outcome for onion consumers in the study area; however, this may not imply a guarantee to human health as pesticides analysed for their residues in onion are fixed. Periodic (regular) and continuous monitoring, surveillance and analyses (analytical determination and evaluation) of pesticide residues and pesticides particularly of currently commonly used ones including organophosphates in onion must be urgently expanded at national level in Ethiopia encompassing the study area and taking the present analytical experiment as a case study with advanced pesticide residue analysis laboratories (with advancing pesticide residues and pesticides monitoring laboratory facilities). Regular (periodic) and continuous investigation (testing) and monitoring of the health status of the farmers, the agrarian communities and the public at large is promptly required. Promotion and use of pesticide use minimizing or non-pesticide use pest control and management alternative methods such as good agricultural practices (GAP), integrated pest management (IPM), biological control methods, cultural control practices and organic farming are quite urgently necessary, and insights (research) into new environmentally friendly pest control and management approaches and methods is required.
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Keywords
Pesticide, Onion Thrips, Pesticide Use Knowledge and Practices, Pesticide Residue, Quechers Method, GC/MSD, Kewet District, Onion, Ethiopia