Awareness for reducing pesticide risk.

Abstract Often farmers are not aware of the risks associated with pesticide use and become victims of pesticide hazards due to ignorance of safety measures in their handing, storage, application, transportation and disposal. This chapter deals with educating farmers by raising their awareness regarding pesticide use and associated risks. Some alternatives to chemical pesticides and safe use of pesticides are also suggested. Discussions are given on restriction in use of hazardous and banned pesticides, as well as use of risk indicator tools and pesticide risk reduction models/strategies. Economics has been observed as the major factor in why farmers ignore the dangers of pesticides. Proper mechanisms should be followed for dissemination of knowledge through farmer field schools, where farmers utilize the experiences and learning principles of the trainers, through a series of regular meetings and discussions, where farmers conduct their own field experiments, learn to diagnose and resolve their own problems. Pesticide reduction is a joint responsibility of all stakeholders and to implement conducive policies, policy makers must be acquainted with fact-based information on pesticides.