Course: SCI 101 -introduction to agriculture and one health

Title: Real cases related to

hazardous impact of pesticides
10/13/2019
Unit 3 members
NTIHEMUKA Benjamin
UWIMANA Jeanine
MBABAZI Latifa
IKUZWE MUGISHA Aime Pacifique
MIZERO Polycarpe
MUJIJI Bright
KAYITESI Lucie
REAL LIFE CASES RELATED TO HAZARDOUS IMPACT OF PESTICIDES, case in Fasa - Iran

The term pesticides refers to substances or mixtures of substances that are mainly used in
agriculture or in public health protection programs in order to protect plants from pests, weeds or
diseases, and humans from vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever, and
schistosomiasis. Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, and plant growth regulators are
typical examples.
 Ideally a pesticide must be sufficient to cause death to the targeted pests, but not to non-target
species, including man. Unfortunately, this is not the case, so the controversy of use and abuse of
pesticides has surfaced. The rampant use of these chemicals has played widespread destruction
with human and other life forms.

In 2012 between March and July there is a research that was conducted about impacts of pesticide
on the health of farmers in Iran. The research was carried in different areas of Iran (Nobandegan,
Sheshdeh). The purpose of this research is to collect demographic features about previous
poisoning, and the extent of farmers’ knowledge in the use of pesticides and associated hazards.

The research was done by Collecting a sample of 200 farmers. After collecting the farmers together,
researchers give a well-prepared Questionnaire to the farmers in order to respond to the questions
asked by the researchers. Questionnaires have been collected after the farmers answered to the
questions answered. Some of the information gathered after collecting questionnaires include
demographic features for example age and education levels of the farmers, Types of pesticides used
and its purpose, Pesticide spraying methods, Agricultural products, etc

Good News is that the results were obtained. Some of the researchers identified that Exposure of
the farmers to the pesticides leads to the different cancers such as prostate cancer, lung cancer,
brain cancer, etc. Even if the results were collected, the researchers concluded that the main cause
of this poisoning was because many of the farmers were illiterate (around 55% of the average
participants). The researchers decided that it is good for the farmers to have trainings programs.
Those trainings will help them to reduce exposure to the pesticides and mode of protection while
spraying pesticides.
It was proved that pesticides affect the health of those who consume agricultural or
contaminated products, live in areas close to agricultural or pesticide production or are
affected by crop spraying, and exposed workers. Occupational exposure to pesticides is
related to trades as diverse as public health, the timber industry or related to the
production of such substances.

Fasa has 37,500 acres under cultivation. Wheat is the most abundant agricultural product in the
studied areas. The dominant mode of spraying was tractor-carried sprayer machine (69%) and the
second most common method was man-carried motorized sprayer (26%). Other farmers used hand-
held sprayer devices to spraying pesticides (5%).

As shown in Table 1, some farmers reported experiencing pesticide poisoning symptoms,

including giddiness (50%) and nausea (23%).
Table 1.
Distribution of pesticide poisoning symptoms in farmers (n=200)
 Poisoning symptoms Frequency %
Giddiness 100 50
Nausea and vomiting 46 23
Headache 24 12
Eye and nose irritation 30 15
Itching, burning and itching of the face and hands 30 15
Diarrhea and muscle pain 30 15

As mentioned before, the present study indicated that farmers sprayed pesticides in average of 12
years. In other words, every farmer has been spraying in average of 192 days. An extended study in
2004 in the US carried out on 18,782 farmers who using pesticides concluded that there was a link
between neurological symptoms in farmers and the number of days when the farmer used
pesticides. This research indicates that new strategies are needed to improve farmers’ work
environment to prevent occupational hazards to the farmers.

References:
Zare, Sajad, et al. "The impacts of pesticides on the health of farmers in Fasa, Iran." Electronic
physician 7.4 (2015): 1168.

Zare, S., Behzadi, M., Tarzanan, M., Mohamadi, M. B., Omidi, L., Heydarabadi, A. B., & Kazemi, S.
(2015). The impacts of pesticides on the health of farmers in Fasa, Iran. Electronic physician, 7(4),
1168.