PhD proposal human health effects of pesticides (Negatu)

Beyene Negatu (student)

Although pesticides are important to prevent production loss due to pests in agriculture, they can pose significant environmental and health hazards when they are not properly handled and managed under field conditions.

Pesticide use in Ethiopia has been increasing during the last two decades due to large-scale intensification in agriculture for both domestic and export purposes. Additionally pesticides that are restricted in developed countries continue to be applied in developing countries.  Studies done mostly in large scale state farms in Ethiopia showed that health hazards, risks and health effects due to pesticides exposure are existent. No detailed study has been preformed investigating health effects of occupational exposure to chemical pesticides and pesticide related knowledge, attitude, practices (KAP) of farmers, farm owners, farm workers particularly on the two emerging farming systems (Closed horticultural farms and small Scale irrigated commercial farms) in the country and also no longitudinal (follow up) study has been done in the large scale state farms. Pesticide related knowledge, attitude, practices (KAP) study on agricultural extension workers (AEW) and health professionals (HP) is also lacking in Ethiopia.  

In Phase I a cross-sectional study will be done in Central east Ethiopia (Upper Awash basin and Central Rift valley on a total of approximately 1,500 study subjects (with at least 50% exposed individuals) who will be recruited from large scale closed farms (LCF) (horticultural green houses), large scale open farms (LOF) (private and state farms) and small scale irrigated farms (SIF). In addition health professionals and agricultural extension workers will be recruited with in and around the study area for the pesticide and health related KAP study.

The general objective of the Phase I study will be to assess pesticide exposure and health symptoms due to pesticide use in Ethiopia with a view of developing strategies that will prevent and minimize morbidity due to these exposures.  

Based on the results of Phase I a more detailed survey of a sub-population will be performed that will entail more objective measurement of both exposure and health effects.

In this study, different institutes will be involved from the Netherlands (University of Utrecht, Alterra, and Wageningen University) and from Ethiopia (Addis Ababa University, Animal, and Plant Health Regulatory Department of the Ministry of Agriculture). The study started in September 2011 and is expected to end in August 2015. Pesticide Risk Reduction Project (PRRP) Ethiopia covers the total cost of the project.