Pesticide Use Practices among Female Headed Households in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Drawing on social practice theory (SPT), we extend our understanding of the existing pesticide use practices among female-headed households (FHHs) in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. We used mixed research methods combining household surveys, focus group discussions (FGDs), key informant interviews, and field observations complemented by photography. A binary logistic regression model was used to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE) among FHHs. This finding suggests that pesticide use is an activity consisting of purchasing and using practices with several interacting elements such as materials, competences, and meanings. The main meaning or material element for pesticide purchasing are the perceptions of efficacy on pests, diseases, and weeds (65%), cost and availability in smaller quantities (60.7%), and a woman’s available time and mobility (58.9%). Pesticide hazards to human health or the environment seem not to be relevant for most FHHs. Pesticide use practices among FHHs are done in violation of safety recommendations, motivated by not only material elements (labor, income, time, and the provisioning system), but are notably shaped by competences (skills and knowledge), and meanings (norms, values, rules, and shared ideas). As the regression results show, age and retailers information (p < 0.05) are the significant factors that influence PPE adoption among FHHs. We suggest a change of the practices and processes that sustain women’s lives, a foundational shift of the socioeconomic and cultural environment, and promoting new meanings and competences through advisory services or training.