among Farmers and Retailers Human Development Research Cambodia - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

CAVAC

PEST MANAGEMENT ACTION RESEARCH FUND

Examine the Negative Impacts and Financial Barriers in Pest Management among Farmers and Retailers

Human Development Research Cambodia (HDRC)

Present by: Chien Samphoas

17 January 2014

Project Objectives

1) To understand the knowledge and behavior in pest

management among farmers.

2) To examine the storage and distribution behaviors

among farmers and retailers.

3) To explore the negative impacts to human health and

environment from inappropriate pest management.

4) To determine the effective interventions to decrease

negative impacts.

5) To understand financial barriers to apply standard pest

management among farmers.

Study Design

The study design is cross-sectional by using In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) to collect the information from selected villages in Kampot and Takeo provinces. We have interviewed 40 farmers from the households in villages and 12 retailers of pesticides near the sampled villages.

Study Samples

Province Operational District Commune Selected Village Backup Village #1 Backup Village #2 Kampot

Angkor Chey Champei Champei Khvav Daeu Pou Tani Pral Ta Kok Trapeang Reang Kampong Trach Boeng Sala Khang Tboung Kaoh Chamkar Svay Ph'aem Chres Damnak Kantuot Khang Cheung Prey Kes Phnum Damrei Ou Slaeng

Takeo

Samraong Sla Sla Kaeut Kanhchang a Roung Trea Saen Pheas Veaeng Doung Tram Kak Trapeang Kranhung Khpob Svay Trapeang Kranhung Ta Am Ta Phem Trapeang Ampil Ta T

• em

Ta Much

(1) randomly select two Operational Districts (ODs) within each province (2) randomly select two communes & 4 villages within each OD.

Results

• Part1. Retailers

n %

How old are you? < 30 years old 4 33.3 31 to 40 years old 2 16.7 41 to 50 years old 4 33.3 > 50 years old 2 16.7 T

• tal

12 100.0 What is your gender? Male 9 75.0 Female 3 25.0 T

• tal

12 100.0 How many years did you complete or have completed at school? Primary school 5 41.7 Secondary school 6 50.0 High school 1 8.3 T

• tal

12 100.0

Socio-demographics

Business Characteristics

 Almost all retailers have been in pesticide sales for

more than two years. They are shop owners.

 About 96% are also selling other items at the shops,

such as rice, animal feed, garlic, pepper, beverages, shoes, beer, etc.

 Most sell various pesticide mixes to kill weeds, aphids,

worms, rats, crabs, and other insects.

 The pesticides are packaged in bottles, but not in

plastic bags.

 About 90% said that they are living next to the shops,

but the shop is separated from the living spaces.

Customer Profiles

 About 80% of the customers buying pesticides are

local farmers living in the same village, and 20% come from outside the village.

 The retailers buy pesticides from big shops in the

market and then sell to farmers in their villages.

 Almost 97% of retailers said that the pesticides or

poisons are not expensive (only $0.75-1.25).

Pesticide Instructions and Storage

 About 80% said their suppliers never provide any

educational materials in safe use to them.

 Almost 90% of the retailers told their customers how to

protect themselves in handling pesticides, and how to mix the pesticide with water.

 They just tell customers to read the instructions on the

bottle of the pesticide, but it is written in either Vietnamese or Thai.

 All the retailers said that they never sell the pesticide split

• r in portions, they sell it in the bottles or in the original

pacakages they get it from the company.

Negative Impacts on Health and Environment

 Only 10% of the retailers said they have problems with

their health, such as dizziness and vomiting. Most of them said they did not have health problems in their family, because they kept pesticides in a safe place.

 Two retailers said that some villagers used pesticides to

commit suicide.

Results

Part 2. Farmers

n %

How old are you? < 30 years old 7 17.5 31 to 40 years old 8 20.0 41 to 50 years old 11 27.5 51 to 60 years old 13 32.5 > 60 years old 1 2.5 T

• tal

40 100.0 What is your gender? Male 35 87.5 Female 5 12.5 T

• tal

40 100.0 How many years did you complete or have completed at school? Never attend school 3 7.5 Primary school 20 50.0 Secondary school 11 27.5 High school 6 15.0 T

• tal

40 100.0 Do you have any household member who is younger than 13 years old? No 6 15.0 Yes 34 85.0 T

• tal

40 100.0 Do you have any household member who is older than 55 years old? No 24 60.0 Yes 16 40.0 T

• tal

40 100.0

Pest Management in Farming Experiences

 About 40% of farmers sprayed pesticides to kill weeds,

insects, worms, crabs, and rats.

 They always use pesticides 2 to 3 times per season.  When they used pesticides, 92% wore masks, gloves,

long-sleeve shirts, and long pants.

 They sprayed from the up-wind location on the farm,

• r used plastic bags to cover their hands.

 Some also wore hats or eye-glasses.  Some did not wear any protective gear if they only

used small amount of pesticide or it wasn’t their ‘habit.’

Pest Management in Farming Experiences

 About 30% learned how to use pesticides from the

• seller. When they bought the pestiscides, they always

ask how to use them and how to mix them with water.

 Many farmers learned from other experienced persons

in their villages.

 Some said that NGOs with the local authority teach

them how to use pesticides and methods to achieve better outputs from growing rice and vegetables.

Pesticide Purchases and Storage

 About 68% bought pesticides from the shop in the

district or provincial market, and 26% bought them from a shop in their villages. They paid for it and did not get it for free. Some got it from NGOs.

 About 42% reported that the seller never told them

how to use the pesticide or how to read the instructions on the label. If farmers didn’t know and asked them, the seller would tell them.

 Some of them can not read the instructions on the

label, because it was written in Vietnamese or Thai.

Pesticide Purchases and Storage

 About 80.5% kept pesticides in plastic bags. They kept

it away from their homes (about 10 meters). They tied it in the plastic bags and kept it away from children.

 Also hung it up in a high place in the shade. Sometimes

kept it on the farm by hanging high up in a tree.

 They know about the poision in pesticides, so they do

not allow small children get close to or touch the containers.

Pesticide Purchases and Storage

 Sometimes they cleaned the container with water and

then threw it in the farm or small woods.

 Some buried the used containers in the ground.  Some of them burned the containers.  Almost 97% said the street collectors do not want to

recycle them, because pesticide bottles are too small.

 They never heard that any company comes to take used

containers back.

Negative Impacts

• n Health and Environment

 About 53% reported that pesticides affected mostly

people who applied the pesticides. There are minor health problems, such as being too tired, itchy, dizzy, vomitting, and headaches after using the pesticide.

 About 33% have heard that their neighbor has been

poisoned by the pesticide, but the problem was minor, such as dizzy, itchy, headaches, vomiting, and stomach problems.

 They applied the traditional ‘first aid’ by using white

sugar, honey, or white sugar mixed with sour orange. Most of them said that their houses are around 5-8 km to the nearest doctor at health center or hospital.

Financial Barriers in Pest Management

 Everyone paid the seller when they bought pesticides.

The seller sometimes agrees to take money late, but

• nly for a delay of about 3-5 days. The price was

different for use in rice and vegetable farms. They spent approximately $2-18 per season.

 The pesticide costs were about 1%-30% of their

household expenses. It is not a major financial burden for them, because each season they spent a small amount of money on pesticides.

Conclusions

we have observed some potential problems from the retailer interviews:

 Retailers do not have any printed use and safety instructions

for the customers;

 Some retailers do not always read the pesticide use and safety

instructions to customers;

 Labels on pesticide containers are usually written in

Vietnamese

• r Thai;

 Some retailers also sell other merchandise (even food) along

with pesticides and in the same store.

 There is no clear recycling procedure in place to collect used

pesticide bottles from customers;

 Retailers only know about the ‘traditional’ first aid procedure.

Conclusions

we have observed some potential problems from the farmer interviews:

 Farmers do not always receive pesticide use and safety

instructions from the retailers;

 Farmers do not correctly use protective gear all the time;  Farmers store pesticides too close to family members in the

house;

 Farmers throw away used pesticide bottles without any

cleaning procedure;

 Farmers apply the traditional ‘first aid’ by using white sugar,

honey, or palm sugar mixed with sour orange.

Conclusions

 Detailed educational materials, and clearly

printed Khmer labels, on pesticide use and safety should be set up for retailers and farmers.

 Clear and correct instructions regarding

storage and disposal of pesticide containers should be distributed to farmers and families.

 Poison control and first aid training should be

improved for farmers and their families in rural areas.

Project Staff

 Project Coordinator/Monitor: Mr. Chien

Samphoas

 Interviewers/Transcribers: Mr. Pheap Sambath,

• Mr. Thorn Rasmy, Mr. Kong Sethanys

 Analysts & Report Writers: Mr. Chien Samphoas,

• Mr. Pheap Sambath

 Technical Consultant: Dr. Kai-Lih Liu

THANK YOU!!!