Awareness of Health and Ecological Impacts of Pesticide Usage Among the Farm Workers of Cardamom Plantations, Southern Western Ghats, Kerala

Sreedharan K.; Rinoy Varghese; Ambady K.G.; Thomas A.P

Volume : III, Issue : VI, June - 2014

Awareness of Health and Ecological Impacts of Pesticide Usage Among the Farm Workers of Cardamom Plantations, Southern Western Ghats, Kerala

Sreedharan K. , Rinoy Varghese, Ambady K. G. , Thomas A. P

Abstract :

The uncontrolled exercise of pesticides in agriculture segment causes a severe environmental degradation problem also, being closely associated with public and workers health hazard. Even though the utilization of pesticides helps to manage diseases thus reduce crop losses and result in improved yield of the crops. The present study aimed at determining the farm workers awareness of the human health problems and environment impacts associated with pesticides. Six hundred and ninety seven farm workers were interviewed among the farm workers in Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR) area in Udumbanchola Taluk, Idukki District, Kerala, South India. Data was obtained by structured questionnaire together with personal interviews. Results of the present study revealed that general awareness of pesticide and awareness about physical problems caused due to pesticide were comparatively high in farm workers. Ecological impacts of pesticide and the awareness of pesticide handling practices were relatively low in farmers. There was no significant difference in gender wise studies about the different levels of health and environment awareness. The farm workers of the selected study area are both from Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the nativity related survey showed that Keralites had significant level of general awareness (t-value, -3.962), awareness of pesticide handling practices (t-value, -2.507), physical problems (t-value, - 4.648) and psychological problems (t-value, -5.581) compared to Tamils. On the basis of income, farm workers are divided in to two groups; average and below average group and there was no significant difference in income wise studies about the different levels of health and environment awareness. In the case of education status, farm workers are categorized in to four groups, they are illiterate, primary level, secondary level and graduate level and there was a significant variation (F value, 5.479) in the awareness of physical problems caused due to the pesticide regarding education status. To check the awareness of the pesticide problems on the basis of age groups, farm workers are divided in to four groups. They are; below 20, 21-40, 41-60 and above 60 and the age related survey showed that there was significant level of variation about general awareness (F value, 25.408), awareness pesticide handling practices (F value, 7.906), awareness about physiological problems (F value, 8.544) and awareness of ecological impacts (F value, 13.013).