The Role of Pesticide Dealers/Marketers in Promoting Safe Pesticide Use Among Farmers in South-South, Nigeria

Francis Ikechukwu Eke, BA

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

Pesticides play a key role in modern agriculture by minimising crop losses and ensuring stable yields. However, their misuse poses serious risks to human health, environmental sustainability, and farming systems, particularly in developing countries where smallholder farmers often depend on pesticide dealers and marketers for guidance on product selection and application of pesticides due to limited formal advisory services. Although existing research has explored pesticide use and handling, there is limited empirical evidence on how dealer and marketer-provided information influences farmers’ knowledge. This study addressed this gap by investigating the factors shaping dealers’ advice, comparing farmers’ safety knowledge across information sources, and evaluating the impact of dealers’ provided information on safe pesticide practices. Primary data were collected from 351 respondents, including 292 farmers and 59 dealers/marketers. Analytical methods used include descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and multiple linear regression within a Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) framework. Findings revealed that while dealers and marketers influence farmers’ decisions, their recommendations were primarily driven by profit margins and product availability, with limited emphasis on safety. Results showed no significant difference in safety knowledge between farmers who rely on dealers and those who use other sources (t = -0.09). Moreover, the regression results showed that dealer-provided information was not associated with any significant improvement in farmers’ safety knowledge. In contrast, formal sources (extension, pesticide label, NGOs) showed significant improvements in knowledge of safe pesticide use. The study underscores the need for improved training, stronger regulation, and better integration of pesticide dealers into formal advisory systems.

Keywords

Personal protective equipment, Information sources, Fellow farmers, Farmer knowledge, Regulatory bodies

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 3. 5. 2026

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Mgr. Mustapha Yakubu Madaki, Ph.D.

Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze

Fakulta tropického zemědělství

Magisterský studijní program:
International Development and Agricultural Economics