Farmers' behavior in reading and using risk information displayed on pesticide labels: a test with the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Labels are the first source of information for the safe use of pesticides, but farmers rarely read labels before pesticide use. Using data from a sample of 300 orchard farmers in Meshginshar County, Iran, this study examined farmers' intention and behavior in reading and using risk information displayed on pesticide labels, using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). RESULTS: Only 26% of the respondents mentioned that they read pesticide labels. Most farmers showed a low tendency towards reading pesticide labels due to low education, advanced age, and label-related problems, i.e., use of too technical language and unclear texts with small and illegible fonts. From the three basic variables of the TPB, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) showed a significant impact on intention, while attitudes showed no significant impact. The three main variables of the TPB explained 90.2% of the variance in farmers' intention to read and use the labels. Furthermore, PBC and intention significantly affected farmers' actual behavior in reading and using the labels, explaining 78.5% of the variance in farmers' actual behavior. Age, experience in farming, and experience in spraying were negatively correlated with all variables of the TPB. CONCLUSION: Findings provide new insights into farmers' behavior in reading pesticide labels by using for the first time the TPB. Pesticide manufacturers should consider the special conditions of subsistence farmers (low education and advanced age) when preparing pesticide labels and the extension services could use those findings to improve farmers' training in the use of pesticide labels. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Farmers' behavior towards safe pesticide handling: An analysis with the theory of planned behavior.

Inappropriate handling of pesticides in agriculture poses a major risk to the environment and human health, but factors affecting farmers' behavior are diverse and often unclear. The present study examined farmers' behavior in safe pesticide use (disposal of spray solution leftovers, places for washing sprayers, disposal of rinsates, and use of personal protective equipment) in Ardabil Province, Iran by applying the well-known theory of planned behavior, which states that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control of individuals shape intention and engagement in a specific behavior. Almost 30% of the farmers threw pesticide spray solution leftovers away, while the remaining farmers kept it for next spraying. Concerning place for washing sprayers, 55.3% of the farmers washed sprayers in their home yard, 21.0% washed them in the river or the canal flow, and 14.7% washed them in the water source of the farm. Just less than two-thirds (64.3%) of the farmers said that they leave the rinsates onto the farm, while almost one-third (34.0%) said that they pour the rinsates into the river or the canal flow. Most farmers used trousers and blouse and to a lesser extent mask, gloves, and hat when handling pesticides. Attitudes towards safe pesticide use showed the highest mean score (2.91), illustrating neutral to relatively negative attitudes of farmers towards safe pesticide use. Intention showed the lowest mean score (2.28), indicating poor motive to use pesticides safely. Attitudes showed positive impact, while perceived behavioral control showed negative impact on intention. Subjective norms had no significant impact on intention. These three constructs totally explained 78.1% of the variance in farmers' intention towards safe pesticide use. Improving attitudes and perceived behavioral control of farmers towards safe pesticide use through extension education should be targeted for improving farmers' intention and behavior towards safe pesticide handling.

Farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pesticide use in apple farms of northern Iran: impact on safety behavior.

Farmers' knowledge of pesticide use as well as their attitudes and perceptions concerning risks and safety play a crucial role in safe spraying operations in farms, but little is known for the inter-relationships among these variables and their impact on safety behavior. This study examined the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pesticide use among apple farmers (n = 200) of Meshkinshahr County, Iran. All farmers used fungicides in their farms. On a scale from 1 to 5, the mean scores of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions were 3.66 ± 0.77, 3.36 ± 0.59, and 4.37 ± 0.42, respectively, implying a moderate level of knowledge of pesticide use and attitudes towards pesticides, but positive perceptions of pesticides among respondents. Contact with extension agents, education level, reading pesticide labels, and household literate members showed positive association (P < 0.01) with knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of pesticide use, while contact with other farmers was negatively associated (P < 0.01) with these variables. Farming experience showed positive association (P < 0.01) with knowledge of pesticide use, while age showed negative association (P < 0.01) with attitudes towards pesticides. Poisoning experience was negatively associated with both attitudes and perceptions (P < 0.01), but not with knowledge. Farmers' knowledge of pesticide use (total effect 0.62) was the most important variable affecting pesticide use behavior of apple farmers followed by attitudes (total effect 0.50) and perceptions (total effect 0.42). Also, knowledge impacted attitudes towards pesticide use (accounting for 71% of the variability in farmers' attitudes), while attitudes in turn impacted perceptions (accounting for 69% of the variability in farmers' perceptions). Findings specify inter-relationships between farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions and the impact of those variables on safety behavior concerning pesticide use. Increasing farmers' knowledge of pesticide use and modifying attitudes and perceptions concerning pesticides are necessary for improving safety behavior of farmers in the use of pesticides.