| dc.description.abstract | The study investigated the pesticide use in Mutarakwa Division of Sotik District. Specifically, the study focused on determining the level of fanner awareness on pesticide use and the health and environmental affects resultant from the improper handling of pesticides. Pesticides are popular with fanners because of their quick, effective action. However it is presently accepted that the risk to human lives and the environment are so great that there is need for caution as we use them.
The study was conceived due to the fact that Lack of proper knowledge on the safe use of these chemicals could lead to health hazard and environmental degradation. Cases of fanners reusing pesticide containers are rampant. These containers are used to carry milk and water. Cartons used to wrap pesticides are also used extensively to carry various items including foodstuff, leading to risk to the people. Some fanners do not use any personal protective equipment during spraying and also carry out the spraying in presence of children, hence exposing themselves and the children to serious chemical hazards.
The findings of the study indicated that most of the fanners used pesticides on a wide range of applications. Despite the widespread use of pesticides, it was observed that the fanners did not use the pesticide safety. The study found out that majority of the people sited their livestock spraying crushes and their vegetable gardens close to water sources. This increased the chances of contamination as a result of drift or rainfall run off from the field with the concomitant environmental consequences to aquatic flora and fauna, together with human health.
In the local dips it was observed that several types of chemicals were used simultaneous and also the dipping was so erratic that resistance to chemicals will be manifested in the not too distant future. Through Chi-square test, Test run, Rank correlation and correlation coefficient calculation, the study established that there was a relationship between the site of livestock spraying crushes, vegetable gardens, the water sources and level of education of the respondents.
The study recommended to the government and other stakeholders in the pesticide industry to institute measures to ensure safe use of pesticides for environmental sustainability. The study concludes that the stakeholders in the pesticide industry in Mutarakwa Division of Sotik District do not use the recommended methods of pesticide handling. This is attributed to the lack of awareness on the safe use of pesticides. | en_US |
