Understanding the factors behind non-adherence to pesticide safety guidelines among smallholder farmers in Fogera and Mecha districts, northwestern Ethiopia

Table 6 Represents the reasons why farmers do not follow the right practice of pesticide mixing (multiple responses are possible)

Pesticide mixing practice	Districts (Fogera; N = 50) Mecha; N = 53)	Farmers’ response N (%)			Χ²	p-value
Pesticide mixing practice	Districts (Fogera; N = 50) Mecha; N = 53)	Agree (N= %)	Disagree (N= %)	Strongly agree (N= %)	Χ²	p-value
Reasons for mixing pesticide in non-appropriate place
Miss Perceived Environmental Safety	Fogera	27 (54%)	18 (36%)	5 (10%)	0.79	0.674 ^ns
	Mecha	24 (45%)	23 (43%)	6 (11%)
Lack of Proper Guidance	Fogera	10 (20%)	35 (70%)	5 (10%)	3.19	0.203 ^ns
	Mecha	13 (25%)	39 (74%)	1 (2%)
Reasons for Applying Above Recommended Pesticide Rates
Belief in Higher Effectiveness	Fogera	26 (52%)	14 (28%)	10 (20%)	4.884	0.087*
	Mecha	17 (32%)	17 (32%)	19 (36%)
Unawareness of Recommended Rates	Fogera	19 (38%)	16 (32%)	15 (30%)	0.413	0.813 ^ns
	Mecha

Significance Key: ns: Not significant at p < 0.05 level and * represents the significant difference presence at p > 0.05 level

ISSN: 1756-0500