Farm-level pesticide use in Bangladesh: determinants and awareness

Farmers' awareness of beneficial and harmful effects of pesticides and factors determining use of pesticides were analyzed using survey data from 21 villages in three agro-ecological regions of Bangladesh. Pesticide cost accounts for about 7.7% of the gross value of output in cotton, 3.6% in vegetables, 2.5% in potato, 1.8% in modem rice, 1.6% in spices and less than 1% in other cereal and non-cereal crops. About 77% of farmers (highest 94% in Comilla) used pesticides at least once (37% applied once and 31% applied twice, and the rest applied for 3-5 times) in a crop season. Cultivation of traditional and modem rice varieties, potatoes, spices, vegetables and cotton are the prime determinants of pesticide use. Farmers seem to treat pesticides as substitutes for fertilizers, indicated by the positive influence of fertilizer prices on pesticide use. Also, increases in pulse and jute prices increase pesticide use. Among the socio-economic variables, land ownership and agricultural credit are positively related to pesticide usage. Pesticide use is higher in underdeveloped regions. Sharp regional variations also exist in pesticide usage. Major policy thrusts for devising pesticide regulation and effective implementation, increasing farmers' awareness of the effects of pesticide use, and expansion of IPM practices are suggested to safeguard poor farmers in their pursuit of agricultural livelihoods. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.