A Comparison of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Rice Farmers and Levels of Pesticide Residues in the Environment in Nakhon si Thammarat Province

Abstract

The objectives of this survey research were to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards pesticide applications of rice farmers using conventional and pesticide-free agriculture and to determine levels of pesticide residues in the environment in West Pak-Panang sub-district, Pak-Panang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province. A total of 72 farmers (40 and 32 farmers using rice growing processes with and without synthetic pesticides, respectively) were studied by using a questionnaire with Cronbach’Alpha 0.94. The results showed that most of the farmers in both groups had high level of knowledge and the attitudes of farmers in both groups were good. Practices of farmers who used pesticides were at the moderate and good levels at 56.25% and 43.75%, respectively. Associations of knowledge and attitudes between groups were not statistically signifcant. The  results from soil analysis showed that there were three main pesticides found in the soil, namely Parathion-methyl, Fipronil, and Chlorpropham. Mean levels of these pesticides found in the felds where pesticides were used were 0.0255, 0.0168, and 0.0139 mg/kg while the levels found in the pesticide-free felds were 0.0411, 0.0193, and 0.0171 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, Parathionmethyl, Fipronil, and Chlorpropham were also found in paddy felds where pesticides were applied. Mean levels of the three pesticides found in the paddy samples were 0.0645, 0.01796 and 0.0157 mg/kg, respectively. Parathion-methyl is a prohibited pesticide. The mean levels of Fipronil in paddy felds of conventional and pesticide-free farming exceeded acceptable levels of the national standard.