Farmers perception on pesticide application and related environmental pollution in Rangpur, Bangladesh

Vegetables are indispensable in people’s daily life. Pesticides are widely applied to kill harmful insects and promote the yield of vegetables. To know about farmers’ practice on pesticide usage and their perception towards environmental pollution, a survey was conducted in intensive vegetable growing areas in Rangpur district of Bangladesh. A total of 90 respondents consisting of 30 each from 3 villages were interviewed randomly in field using a predesigned questionnaire having both close and open ended questions. The result indicated that the maximum number (45%) of vegetable cultivators belonged to the age group of 21-40. About 48% of respondents completed their primary education, and 25% of respondents passed secondary level. Different insects, pests attacked vegetable fields in the study area, and the farmers relied upon chemical pesticides irrespective of hazards. Almost half of the farmers (48.18%) received usage directions from the local pesticides dealers and 37.65% of farmers’ overused pesticides. Most of the farmers sprayed pesticides every 8 to 12 days, and more than half (64%) of the respondents adopted safety measures partially; about three-fourth didn’t know the waiting period before collection. About one-third of the farmers were blamed for improper use of pesticides, and one-fourth of them believed that lack of proper education was the major cause of pesticide-related environmental pollution. It is necessary to ensure educational program, training and enforcement of the law to avoid vegetable and environmental contamination and raise awareness regarding pesticide use practices and safety precautions. published by the Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences | JBES