PESTICIDES HANDLING PRACTICE AND THE ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG FARMERS WORKING IN IRRIGATION IN ZUWAY DUGDA DISTRICT OF ARSI ZONE, SOUTH EAST, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Pesticides have critical effects on human health. Because of the high amount of pesticides used, individual exposure is almost inevitable. In developing countries, pesticides are widely used for a variety of purposes. The occurrence of contamination and poisoning for farmers is highly reported due to unsafe handling practices and their storage. However, few studies have been done in Zuway Dugda District, Arsi Zone, and Oromia, Ethiopia. Objective: To assess the pesticide handling practice and the associated factors among farmers working in irrigation in Zuway Dugda District of Arsi Zone, South east, Ethiopia, from November 5th, 2022 to December 15th, 2022. Method: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Zuway Dugda District of Arsi Zone. A total of 498 farmers were selected using a simple random sampling procedure. Farmers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. To examine the relationship between variables, bivariety analysis was employed. To study the association between the independent factors and the outcome variable, all variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 was included in a multivariable regression model. The Adjusted Odds Ratio with 95 % Confidence Interval at p-value <0.05 was used to define a statistically significant association with pesticide handling practice and storage. Result: Of the four hundred ninety-eight, 498 respondents, 238 (48 %) of respondents had good pesticide handling practices. Respondents' age (AOR=5.22, 1.76–13.9, P <0.01), educational status (OR=0.36 (0.16-0.83, P-value, 0.02)), training (AOR=2.33 (1.04-5.19, P value, 0.04), Spray against wind direction (AOR=1.86 (1.09–3.18, P-value, 0.02)), knowledge (AOR=2.27(1.30-3.95, P-value, 0.01) of pesticide handling practice were significantly associated with the practice of pesticide handling.