Bridging the gap between knowledge and practice in pesticide use: Occupational health risks among smallholder farmers in Nepal

Abstract

Improper use of pesticides poses significant occupational health hazards among smallholder farmers in Nepal who often have limited access to safety information and protective measures. This study aimed to assess pesticide use patterns, farmers' knowledge of health risks, safety practices, and their association with socio-demographic characteristics in Banke district, Nepal. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 360 farmers selected via multistage sampling process. Data were collected using pretested questionnaires, complemented by 20 key informant interviews, and 10 focus group discussions. Most respondents were male (76.67%), 41.94% had primary level education and, 66.11% cultivated less than one hectare of land. Overall, 97.78% of the respondents reported using pesticides primarily in vegetable farming (86.11%) followed by paddy (66.94%) production. Although 72.78% were aware of the adverse health effects of pesticides, 57.78% of respondents had received no training on pesticide management. The most frequently reported health problems were headache (18.06%) and skin rash (16.94%). Farmers' knowledge of pesticide-related health risks was positively correlated (r = 0.434, p