Agrochemicals Knowledge and Attitude to Safety Practices among Farmers in Lejja, Nsukka Local Government Area, Enugu State

Abstract

Agrochemicals are used by farmers to boost agricultural yields and to control pests and weeds. However, farmers applying these agrochemicals may not have adequate knowledge of agrochemicals and safety practices guiding the application. The purpose of this study was to determine the agrochemicals knowledge and attitude to safety practices among farmers in Lejja. Four specific objectives and two hypotheses guided the study. The study utilized the cross-sectional research design. The population for the study comprised of 3000 farmers in Lejja. Two-stage sampling techniques were used to draw a sample of 315 full-time farmers. The instrument for the study was the researcher’s designed instrument called Agrochemical Knowledge and Attitude to Safety Practices Questionnaire (AKASPQ). Frequencies and percentages were used to answer research questions 1 and 2, and mean were used to answer research question 3 and 4. Hypothesis 1 was tested using Chi-square statistics while hypothesis 2 was tested using ANOVA statistics. The result of the study showed that: farmers had low level of knowledge (37.2%) of agrochemicals, farmers with tertiary education possessed high level of knowledge (65.6%), secondary education possessed moderate level of knowledge (36.3%) and those with primary education had very low level of knowledge (13.9%) of agrochemicals. The result also showed that farmers had negative attitude to safety practice of agrochemicals. Farmers with tertiary education had positive attitude while farmers with secondary and primary education had negative attitude to safety practices of agrochemicals. Findings of the study indicated that farmer’s level of knowledge of agrochemicals and attitude to safety practices differed according to level of education. It was therefore recommended that Lejja farmers’ welfare association in conjunction with agricultural extension workers should organize seminars periodically to enlighten the farmers on use of agrochemicals and to encourage them use the personal protective equipment and other safety practices in agrochemicals applications. This will increase the knowledge of agrochemical use and can improve attitude to safety practices