HUMAN HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF NON-ADOPTION OF RECOMMENDED AGROCHEMICAL PRACTICES AMONG CROP FARMERS IN KADUNA AND ONDO STATES, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study assessed human health and environmental consequences of non-adoption of recommended agrochemical practices (RAPs) among crop farmers in Kaduna and Ondo States of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 260 crop farmers who had sustained usage of agrochemicals for at least five (5) years. Data were collected using pretested structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage and means) were used for data analysis. Majority (63.5%) of farmers attested that agricultural extension officers constituted the major source of information about risks and hazards of pesticide applications. All (100%) the respondents indicated that pesticides caused damage to human health as well as the environment. Majority of the respondents knew that skin irritation (71.5%), coughing (60.8%) and eye irritation (51.5%), respectively, were the consequences of non-adoption of RAPs. Food contamination was the most frequently reported hazard as indicated by the majority (83.8%) of the farmers. The findings further disclosed that talking or singing while mixing or spraying (x̄ = 0.74), eating while mixing or spraying (x̄ =0.55) and not washing of personal protection equipment (PPE) before reuse (x̄ =0.46) recorded the highest pesticide handling habits in the study area. It was recommended that campaign for attitudinal changes on the use of agrochemical should be mounted by extension agencies in collaboration with relevant stakeholders; also, policymakers should make policies to prevent the importation of banned chemicals into the country.