ARBITRARY USE OF PESTICIDES BY SCHOOL CHILDREN/LEARNERS IN ASESEWA OF UPPER MANYA DISTRICT OF EASTERN REGION OF GHANA AND ITS HEALTH IMPLICATIONS
Keywords:
Asesewa, Upper Manya District, Volatile, Drift, PesticidesAbstract
Purpose: The researcher sought to investigate into the arbitrary use of pesticides by thirty (30) school children or learners in the Asesewa Township of the Upper Manya District in the Eastern Region of Ghana, West Africa, where school pupils or learners use pesticides arbitrarily
Methodology: Descriptive research design was the research design used. All school learners at Asesewa Township constituted the target population. The researcher selected thirty (30) learners who were into pesticides use from three (3) Junior High Schools in the Asesewa township. Purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample size. Under this purposive sampling technique, learners who have applied pesticides before were the target and were asked to write or provide their names. Where the number exceeded ten (10) in a school, simple random sampling technique was used to select ten (10) out of the lot. Selection was gender sensitive. Interview and questionnaire were the instruments/tools used to collect data. Questionnaires containing sixteen (16) items were distributed to the learners to answer under the guidance of the researcher. The questions on the questionnaire were both closed and open ended type. Again, fifteen (15) persons in and around Asesewa town who were into the sale of pesticides or supply of pesticides to these learners were sampled and interviewed. Data collected were analyzed by converting them into percentages using SPSS and Microsoft Office Excel 2013.
Findings/results: The results showed that majority of learners (73.33%) did not read or follow instructions on pesticides labels. This phenomenon of not reading stem from the fact that most of the learners (86.67%) reportedly admitted not being able to understand the meaning of the instructions. Again, a whopping 86.67% of the respondents or learners did not seek for help to understand the instructions on the labels of pesticides. All the learners (100%) admitted having knowledge of pesticides toxicity, but the irony is that as many as 93.33% of the learners did not use any protective clothing whatsoever when applying pesticides, consequently, a significant number (93.33%) of learners admitting that their bodies itched immediately after applying or handling pesticides. All the learners (100%) did accept that they did apply pesticides in the presence of other people who did not wear any protective gear. All the leaners (100%) were unaware of the volatile nature of pesticides and how particles can drift far. Eighty-three point three, three percent (83.33%) of learners, realizing the danger that accompanied pesticides, did not use the field right after application of pesticides. Harmfully, 63.33% of the learners interviewed responded re-using empty pesticides containers for purposes such as salt container, concoction container to hunt for grass cutters, containing water to whet their cutlasses while the remaining 36.67% throw them away due to the danger in association with its re-use. It is damped on the environment just like that.
Unique contribution to theories, practice and policy: Pesticides are volatile and can drift very far from the point of application to many kilometers away but the irony was that all the leaners were not aware that pesticides were volatile and could drift very far. Consequently, the practice should be that all learners and Agricultural Science students will understand the volatility and drifty nature of pesticides so as not to apply pesticides close to human presence or habitation. Again, they should come to understand that personal protective equipment should be used or worn by the one applying the pesticides as well as by standers or those who accompany them. Again, the findings from this research work will make it imperative for pesticides manufacturers and dealers to embark on rigorous campaign exercise or education of pesticides use; the dangers in its arbitrary use and ways of applying them properly without causing harm to the environment and human beings. Per the results, the learners might have taken a lot of pesticides into their system and future research works must explore the extent of damage these pesticides have caused and can cause to learners.
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