Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute

Farmers around Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions have noted that they have suffered various consequences from the incorrect use of pesticides due to lack of proper education and negligence.

Asia Governor, a farmer from Galapo Village, Babati District, Manyara Region, has said that farmers have a tendency of not following the correct way of spraying pesticides to their farms, which has led to serious consequences.

"My neighbor was spraying pesticides in the field without proper protection, he got a lung infection and after a while he died, we also hear some of our fellow farmers complaining of skin irritation after spraying pesticides without protection", explained Asia.

Zuhura Gwandu, a farmer in Endanoga villages, Babati District, Manyara Region, said that relatives and friends have suffered from not protecting themselves during the use of pesticides, as many farmers do not follow what they are instructed by agricultural experts.

Elaborating further, a farmer Ayoub Yeronimi from Endanoga village, Babati district, Manyara Region said, "We have had the habit of mixing several drugs unnecessarily and when we finish spraying we throw the empty cans in the fields without disposing them properly something that we have been taught is dangerous".

Jenerosa Kimario a farmer from Holili village, Rombo District in Kilimanjaro region has said that she has witnessed her mother-in-law's whole body swelling after spraying pesticides without proper protection while she also underwent nausea and vomited after using pesticides without protection.

On his part, the Chairman of Holili Village, Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region, Salvatory Shirima said that the way he observe farmers using pesticides without protection, he believes that some of them get damages without realizing that it is caused by improper use of pesticides.

Meanwhile, a researcher from the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Selian, Natural Resources Management Division, Deodatus Kiriba, has said that through the Tanzania Food Systems Resilience Program (TFSRP/PforR) they have trained farmers in three regions of Kilimanjaro, Arusha and Manyara on the correct use of pesticides including wearing full protective clothing.

Kiriba said "some farmers have admitted to having the knowledge even though they don't pay attention and others didn't understand about the full protective clothing, the right time and the best way to use pesticides including disposing of the bottles after use".

He added that while giving the training, the farmers have said that they have suffered various harms due to not paying attention to the correct use of pesticides and not wearing full clothing, they have also requested more training to be given to other farmers.