Pesticide Use Practices by Market Gardeners in the Santa Area of the North West Region of Cameroon

Aims: This work aimed at establishing the different Garden crop pests and how farmers use different pesticides to manage these pests.

Place and duration of the Work: This work was carried out in Santa from January to March 2013

Methodology: The methodology involved the use of structured questionnaires which were administered to 120 farmers to obtain information on demographics, constraints to successful crop production, general farm system and agronomic practices, knowledge of insect pest problems, types of pesticides used, dosage and rate of application, and different pests crops suffered from. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test.

Results: The study indicates that majority of market gardeners in Santa community are males (70%) with ages from 30-39 and most of them are married (76%). Famers worked with relied on pesticides for pest control and did not dispose of empty pesticide containers properly such as throwing on the farm; use as drinking bowls and returned it to the pesticide vendors.

Conclusion: This study provides valuable information on the pesticides used in pests and diseases control in vegetable production and health symptoms like stomach disorders, burns, and catarrh experienced by gardeners. A majority (94%) of farmers suffered from serious insect pest attacks on their farms and the most important pest was the cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) which affected (65%). A majority (96%) of farmers also reported diseases attacks with late blight (Phytophthora infestans) affecting more than four-fifth (81%) of the farms especially in the rainy season.