Abstract

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.

摘要

在农业生产中广泛使用农药会导致健康风险和健康成本增加，生产力下降以及环境恶化。农民对农药残留的风险感知可以帮助减轻这些问题。本文采用有序概率模型，使用巴基斯坦旁遮普邦209名蔬菜种植者的横断面数据集，分析了农民对农药残留的看法。决定农民看法的重要因素包括他们的教育程度，家庭劳动，自用食品的比例，健康影响，病虫害综合治理（IPM）培训，知识和认识。在这些决定因素中，农民的意识和IPM培训计划是风险感知的主要指标。这些结果对政策制定者具有重大意义，因为如果得到社会规范内在化的支持，农民的观念（包括过度使用农药）会恶化，而后者又受到农民意识和知识的限制。研究结果表明，应该特别注意那些仅限于直接从农业推广官员那里获得信息的农民。此外，应设计强化的IPM培训计划，以传达预防措施，以预防人类健康和可持续农业生态系统。研究结果表明，应该特别注意那些仅限于直接从农业推广官员那里获得信息的农民。此外，应设计强化的IPM培训计划，以传达预防措施，以预防人类健康和可持续的农业生态系统。研究结果表明，应该特别注意那些仅限于直接从农业推广官员那里获得信息的农民。此外，应设计强化的IPM培训计划，以传达预防措施，以预防人类健康和可持续的农业生态系统。