Assessment of Farmer’s Knowledge, Safe Handling Practices of Pesticide and Toxicity Using Rattus Rattus, Kwara State, Nigeria

This study assessed farmer’s knowledge, safe handling practices of pesticide and toxicity using Rattus rattus. It examined farmer’s knowledge on the use of pesticides, investigated common practices by farmers in the use of pesticides, identified different pesticides used, and practically experimented potential toxicity of pesticide on farmers using Rattus rattus. Sample was based on the population of Kwara State using stratified, proportional and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected and analyzed using frequency count and percentage, nominal scale, Pearson correlation, chi-square, graph representation with bar and pie charts, while Graph Pad Prism V was used to analyzed blood haematological parameters of Rattus rattus, followed by Turkey post Hoc Test. The results revealed that, more male 278 (76.6%) respondents participated in the study than female 85 (23.4%). Majority of these farmers, 185 (51%) were youth in the age bracket of 31 – 40 years. Two hundred and sixty-five 265 (73.0%) respondents were full-time farmers, where 324 (89.3%) out of the total 363 practiced commercial farming and 191 (52.6%) cultivated on 1.5 and above hectares of land. Cyperforce, a pesticide with active ingredient cypermethrin was commonly used (21%) amongst the farmers in the study area. Contrary to the hypotheses, majority of the farmers relied upon information received and employed unhealthy practices in the use of pesticides. It was also observed that, respondents spray pesticides before planting, after planting, during both seasons (rainy and dry) and even occasionally which affected their level of exposure and potential toxicity. The study found that, exposure of experimental rats to pesticide (Cyperforce) at 0.002 ml - 0.01ml had toxic effects on heamatological parameters by lowering the concentration of red blood cell, mean corpuscular volume, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular heamoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, haematocrite, white blood cell, lymphocyte and platelete. However, there was a recovery in immunological parameters (white blood cell and lymphocyte) and clothing factor (platelets) at the last two higher concentrations. It is recommended that, farmers should be enlightened more about the toxic effects of pesticides exposure as well as self protective literacy on pesticide application in other to protect themselves from pesticide exposure associated degenerative diseases.