SCIENCE@home

Navigating pesticide overuse in vegetable farming in Assam, India: a comprehensive analysis of underlying factors

Abdullah Al Mamun,Kishor Goswami

Published 2024 in International Journal of Vegetable Science

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Pesticides are a critical aspect of contemporary agriculture and a significant driver of agricultural intensification and productivity. However, the overuse of chemical pesticides in agricultural activities continues to be a significant concern worldwide. The study is based on qualitative and quantitative approaches, using personal interviews with 390 vegetable farmers in Assam, India. A total amount of 2573 kg of pesticide-active ingredients was applied by the farmers per season, and it was observed that 68% of the farmers exceeded the recommended pesticide usage, with an average overuse rate of 0.88 kg per season. According to the toxicity classification of the World Health Organization, about 16% of the active ingredients reported by farmers were highly hazardous, while 25% were moderately hazardous. The study used a binary logistic regression where factors like education level, Integrated Pest Management, and cultivation of separate plots for self-consumption reduced pesticide overuse. In contrast, factors like farmers’ experience of health symptoms, information sources, access to credit, and off-farm income were found to promote pesticide overuse. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers in the design of effective policies to address the problem of pesticide overuse in developing countries in general and in India in particular.

PUBLICATION RECORD

CITATION MAP

EXTRACTION MAP

CLAIMS

  • No claims are published for this paper.

CONCEPTS

  • No concepts are published for this paper.

REFERENCES

Showing 1-66 of 66 references · Page 1 of 1

CITED BY

Showing 1-4 of 4 citing papers · Page 1 of 1