Farmers’ Understanding of the Information Displayed on Pesticide Labels: a Case Study of Vegetable Growers in Amphur Manorom, Chainat Province

Abstract

            The purposes of this research were to 1) survey sample farmers’ behavior about reading pesticide products labels and 2) determine the farmers’ understanding of the information displayed on pesticide products labels. The study focused on farmers’ use of pesticide labels to evaluate whether the information the labels carry is understood and interpreted correctly by farmers. The data were collected from 120 vegetable growers in Amphur Manorom, Chainat Province, by interview with questionnaire. Statistics used for the data analysis were frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The study found that farmers, in the main, read the pesticide product labels to learn the product name, recommended method of use, the chemical ingredients and recommended safety precautions/protective clothing. On the farmers’ understanding of pictograms on the label, it was found that they understood only three advisory pictograms, which were the recommendations to use protective gloves, a mask and boots. Farmers’ inability to understand some of the other pictograms on product labels might cause them to use the products improperly, posing risks to human health and environmental safety. The researchers recommend that farmers should be given more knowledge about pesticide labeling and changes to the Federal law on pesticide product labeling should be considered for chemical risk reduction.