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(M/FF213) Effects of pesticides in the environment : A farm level study in Bangladesh. Al-Arabi, Syed1,2, 1 2 ABSTRACT- The purpose of this study is to identify the attitudes, knowledge, and exposure about the use and impact of pesticides. A four stage stratified random sampling procedure was adopted to select the ultimate sampling units. Six hundred farmers from ten districts of five agro-ecological zones of Bangladesh were interviewed. Various information as perceived by the farmers regarding the effects of pesticides are measured by frequency count and percentage distribution. Most of farmers (89%) liked to use pesticides for better crop yields but had no practical training (76%) concerning the handling, broadcasting and spraying of the pesticides. Moreover, 34% farmers usually applied pesticides in overdoses and 82% had no idea about the health and environmental hazards. Population of inland fishery (67%), toad (74%), turtle (72%), snake (54%), earthworm (66%), local common insectivorous bird (87%) had declined and other forest animals (fox, jackles, rabbits, squirrels, wild cats etc.) had also greatly been reduced as a result of regular pesticide application in crop fields. Most of the farmers (64%) collected pesticides from retailers and only 49% had got informations from Agricultural Extension Workers. During the survey it was observed that many forbidden pesticides (about 34% of the total annual consumption, mainly organochlorine pesticides, even some members of the dirty dozen) were also still under use by the illiterate rural farmers which appeared to be due to lack of proper knowledge and timely unavailability of approved pesticides. Pesticides plays a vital role on the biodiversity of developing countries like Bangladesh. Key words: Bangladesh, Environment, Farm level study, Pesticidal effect |
