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Economic, health, and environmental effects of pesticide use in mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] production in Myanmar
Thesis Abstract:
The study assessed the economic, health, and environmental effects of pesticide use in mung bean production in Khayan-Thongwa Area, Yangan Division, Myanmar utilizing both primary and secondary data. Random sampling was used in selecting the respondents composed of 148 mung bean farmers and 58 hired farm workers.
Several analytical tools were employed in this study such as the analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test of means, cost and returns analysis, multiple regression analysis, and logit analysis. To test the presence of pesticide contamination of surface and drinking water in the study areas, pesticide residual analysis of the water samples collected was conducted using gas chromatography with flame photometric detector and high performance chromatography method.
ANOVA results showed that the mean yield, pesticide cost, and total production cost per hectare were significantly different among the three groups of mung bean farmers classified according to the dosage of pesticides applied. The group of farmers who applied the highest dosage of pesticides (Group 3) incurred the highest production cost per hectare and obtained the highest yield and gross revenue per hectare compared with the moderate pesticide dosage users (Group 2) and the low pesticide dosage users (Group 1). Hence, their revenue advantage was offset by their higher production cost. Mean net income per hectare, however, was not significantly different among the three groups of mung bean farmers.
Results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the significant factors which exhibited a positive effect on mung bean yield were the correct type of insecticides used, dosage of pesticides, training attendance dummy, and experience in using pesticides.
Based on the results of the logit analysis, the factors which significantly influence the probability of incidence of getting ill from pesticide use were the number of years using pesticides and spraying direction. The positive sign of the coefficient of the number of years that the mung bean farmers and hired workers use pesticides indicated that the longer they use pesticides, the higher the probability that they will get sick from pesticide exposure. Moreover, the probability of the incidence of illness
decreased when a farmer or a hired farm worker adopts the proper way of spraying (i.e., toward the wind).
In the estimated health cost regression model, the study found that the pesticide dosage and the age of the farmer and the hired farm worker had a positive and significant effect on total health cost associated with pesticide use.
The water sample analysis in the study did not show conclusive findings on the effects of pesticide use on water pollution due to the insufficient number of water sample replicates used in the study and the limited capability of the analytical machine to test the presence of all the pesticides used in the study areas.
To improve crop productivity and lessen the health risk of mung bean farmers and hired workers resulting from improper pesticide practices in the study areas, the following recommendations were suggested: (1) introduce alternative and safer pest control strategies (e.g., crop rotation, integrated pest management, use of pestresistant varieties); (2) conduct more training on proper pesticide use for farmers and hired farm workers; (3) monitor the pesticide importing companies, dealers, and retailers on the sale of banned pesticides in the market; (4) provide public health education to mung bean farmers on pesticide handling and safety practices; and (5) conduct further research on the assessment of pesticide use on water pollution using more water sample replicates per sampling point in the stream and the lake during the flowering and pod initiation stages of plant growth in mung bean production.