Trends in pesticide use and drivers for safer pest management in four African countries

Patterns in pesticide practice were studied among smallholder farmers in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal, growing cotton, vegetables, pineapple, cowpea, and mixed cereals and legumes, for export and local markets. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine pesticide use and handlin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Crop protection 2008-10, Vol.27 (10), p.1327-1334
Main Authors: Williamson, Stephanie, Ball, Andrew, Pretty, Jules
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
cost analysis
External costs
Food safety
human health
integrated pest management
IPM
pesticide application
Pesticides
small farms
Smallholder farmers
surveys
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Summary:Patterns in pesticide practice were studied among smallholder farmers in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana and Senegal, growing cotton, vegetables, pineapple, cowpea, and mixed cereals and legumes, for export and local markets. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to examine pesticide use and handling, costs and access and health, welfare and sustainability issues. Drivers encouraging pesticides as the dominant form of pest management include food staple varieties highly susceptible to insect attack; increased pest incidence; lack of advice on alternative methods; a growing informal market in ‘discount’ and often unauthorised pesticides; subsidy; and poor attention to the economics of pest control. The paper contrasts the situation of food crops for African consumers with the increasing attention to food safety and pesticide restrictions in export horticulture to Europe and the growing demand for organic cotton, and discusses challenges for implementation of IPM and safer practice.
ISSN:0261-2194
1873-6904
DOI:10.1016/j.cropro.2008.04.006