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Plant and animal health |
By Milly Ezeria Kyofa-Boamah
Agriculture is still the major economic sector in Ghana accounting for a 46% share of the GDP and employing around 60% of the work force, accounting for 40% of the total exports. It is practiced mainly on small-scale farms of less than 2 hectare, as combination of cash alongside subsistence crops. Export performance is expected to improve via non-traditional exports, particularly horticulture. The promotion of these crops is based on increasing productivity through the use of improved varieties and crop protection measures including the use of pesticides. Only chemical inputs for the cocoa production are subsidized.
The objectives of the agricultural sector are to increase production on a sustainable basis, to improve storage and processing at the farm level, to organize better marketing locally and internationally and to promote non-traditional export crops and processing of raw products in Ghana. Linked to the intensification and structural changes in agricultural production is increased use of pesticides. Since a good part of production is lost through diseases, pests and weeds in the field and storage, to policy makers, the increased use of inputs like fertilizers and agro-chemicals seems often to be one of the most effective ways to increase production and food supply.
The horticulture sector (especially Vegetables i.e. tomatoes) is regarded as the most important for the use of pesticides. Misuse of these chemical inputs is generally seen as very high due to low level of education, lack of knowledge and enough information on pesticide use to those who handle and apply pesticides. For example on the shelves at the stores pesticides could be found next to food item and the label that tells one how to use a particular pesticide and the danger of the product sometimes are missing or in language which the users do not understand.
For farmers, the profitability of intensification depends on the cost of additional pesticide use compared to the expected loss in yield or quality. Provided that the necessary information is available, farmers will reach a micro-economic optimum of pesticide use in the long term, where the profit of pesticide use is in maximum. For the larger society on the other hand, pesticide use involves external costs that reduce the gains reached by improved agricultural production. These external costs include the effects on human health and the related costs of treatment in cases of pesticides poisoning, contamination of food, water and environment, development of pest resistance to pesticides and loss of bio-diversity. Misuse of pesticides is a major impediment to agriculture and is causing immense worldwide damage to the environment and human health. World Health Organization estimated 20,000 accidental deaths from pesticides poisoning worldwide yearly. FAO has always advocated a reduction in the use of synthetic pesticides by promoting integrated pest management, better pesticide management and use of pesticide prior informed consent procedure.
A field survey was undertaken to obtain a country overview of actual pesticide use. Two national surveys were carried out for the purpose of obtaining primary information on the reason for, and the extent of, pesticide use, one with farmers and the other with retailers of pesticides. A description of the current level of pesticide use and pesticide management, source of information on crop protection and a comparison of the results with other studies will be given afterwards.
The field survey and development of a questionnaire concept
A survey with a closed questionnaire was conducted.
Farmers’ questionnaire concentrated on pesticide use at major crop levels.
General relevant issues considered were:
Socio-economic issues like education and farm size.
Technical aspects like available resource, irrigation, fertilizer use, etc.
Marketing aspects
Identification of pests and diseases, selection and handling of pesticides, safety and problems associated with pesticide use.
The way farmers obtain information and extension services
The questionnaire dealt with buying pattern of farmers, aspect of handling of pesticides and an evaluation of retailer prices.
The survey covered the major agricultural areas spread over the six agro-ecological zones and major crop groups and made provision for at least 30 farmers per crop group. The major crop categories were:
A total of 271 farmers were interviewed and adjustments were made to get enough farmers for each crop group.
Eighteen field staff of Plant Protection and regulatory Service Directorate of MOFA (PPRSD) carried out the interview. Training was given to them in the administration of the questionnaire. Retailers’ questionnaires were distributed with five copies for each enumerator.
Farmers interviewed cultivated more than one crop therefore more than 271 answers were analyzed because other crops on the farm were included.
Field Data collection period was from June to August 1999. It is possible that the interviewers as staff members of MOFA chose farmers who had had contact with the extension officers already and were therefore known. There is therefore the possibility that this could result in a biased sample.
Socio-economic factors were taken in account for analyzing determinants on the level of pesticide use:
The literacy rate was found to be generally low. No formal education at all:
Interestingly, there appeared to be more illiterates within the medium and large-scale farmers than among the small-scale farmers.
The levels of education were put in three categories:
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Level of education |