Factors Influencing Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Safe Pesticide Use Among Vegetable Farmers in Mandandeupur

Abstract

Pesticide use in agriculture is a critical issue for sustainable development. Despite the introduction of policies, regulations, and safer alternatives such as Integrated Pest Management by the Government of Nepal, haphazard use of pesticide persists because of poor implementation and low farmer awareness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate farmers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of pesticides in Mandandeupur, Kavrepalanchok. This study applies a cross-sectional, explanatory design. Structured face-to face interviews were conducted among 151 farmers. Quantitative data was collected from KoBoCollect and analyzed in SPSS, using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Ordinary Least Squares regression. Regression analysis showed that ethnicity, IPM training, and food sufficiency were significant predictors of farmers’ knowledge, while age had a negative association. For attitude, only education and IPM training emerged as significant positive predictors. Food sufficiency, IPM training, and ethnicity were important positive predictors for practice. The greatest positive impact on knowledge, attitude, and practice was consistently shown by IPM training. The results indicate that IPM training and socioeconomic factors are directly linked for improving farmers’ knowledge, which in turn supports stronger IPM understanding. It also suggests that attitude and practice can be enhanced through targeted training, particularly for ethnic groups and farmer with lack of food sufficiency, to ensure more safe practices.