TY - JOUR A1 - Mehmood, Yasir A1 - Arshad, Muhammad A1 - Mahmood, Nasir A1 - Kächele, Harald A1 - Kong, Rong T1 - Occupational hazards, health costs, and pesticide handling practices among vegetable growers in Pakistan JF - Environmental Research N2 - Disregarding protective measures when handling pesticides in agricultural production imposes increased health risks and health costs on farmers as well as degrades the natural ecosystem. In Pakistan, where agriculture is the prime occupation in rural communities, there is overwhelming evidence of indiscriminate use of hazardous pesticides by farmers without taking adequate precautions. Using cross-sectional data, we examined personal protection and health costs to vegetable growers due to pesticide exposure and determinants of farmers' pesticide handling practices. The theory of averting behavior was used, and the possible factors affecting farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers were estimated using a logit model. Health effects (P < 0.05) and farmers' protection and health costs (P < 0.01) are found as important determinants of farmers' adoption of safety equipment and of disposal methods for pesticide containers. The mean protection and health cost of pesticide exposure per farmer per vegetable season in 2019 was US $3.60. Analytical outcomes indicate that safe and recommended pesticide handling practices are needed to be introduced through adequate integrated pest management (IPM) training programs and by improving farmers’ formal education. Thus, creating awareness through IPM training programs among vegetable growers and enhancing formal education to encourage the adoption of precautionary measures and safe disposal methods for pesticide containers may reduce health risks and health costs. Findings imply that adoption of adequate pesticide handling practices would further help reduce occupational hazards and promote sustainable agriculture in Pakistan. Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7366 SN - 1096-0953 IS - 200 PB - Elsevier ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Mehmood, Yasir A1 - Arshad, Muhammad A1 - Kächele, Harald A1 - Mahmood, Nasir A1 - Kong, Rong T1 - Pesticide residues, health risks, and vegetable farmers’ risk perceptions in Punjab, Pakistan JF - Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal N2 - Extensive use of pesticides in agricultural production results in increased health risks and health costs, productivity loss, and degradation of the environment. Farmers’ risk perceptions of pesticide residues can help mitigate these issues. This paper applies an ordered probit model to analyze farmers’ perceptions of pesticide residues using a cross-sectional dataset of 209 vegetable cultivators in Punjab, Pakistan. Important determinants of farmers’ perceptions include their educational level, family labor, ratio of self-consumed foodstuffs, health effects, integrated pest management (IPM) training, knowledge, and awareness. Among these determinants, farmers’ awareness and IPM training programs are the principle indicators of risk perception. These results have significant implications for policymakers because farmers’ perceptions including overuse of pesticides tend to worsen if supported by the internalization of social norms, which, in turn, is restricted by farmers’ awareness and knowledge. The study findings suggest that special attention should be given to farmers who are limited to receiving information directly from agricultural extension officers. Moreover, intensive IPM training programs should be designed with the aim of conveying precautionary measures for human health and a sustainable agro-ecosystem. KW - farmers; environment; health hazards; health costs; Pakistan Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:eb1-opus-7218 VL - 27 IS - 3 SP - 846 EP - 864 PB - Taylor & Francis ER -