Rice Farmers' Knowledge Regarding Pesticide Use in Larompong Urban Village, Larompong District, Luwu Regency

Nurul Fadillah; Intisari Intisari; Aqsyah Anggraini

doi:10.59976/jurit.v4i2.386

Authors

Nurul Fadillah Universitas Andi Djemma
Intisari Intisari Universitas Andi Djemma
Aqsyah Anggraini Universitas Andi Djemma

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59976/jurit.v4i2.386

Abstract

Pesticides are widely used by smallholder rice farmers to control plant pest organisms, but unsafe use can carry risks for farmer health and the environment. This study explores the understanding and reported practices of rice farmers. A qualitative descriptive design was used, involving nine male rice farmers recruited by purposive sampling from a population of about 150 rice farmers in the village; the sample was bounded by the depth of information obtained across participants rather than by statistical representativeness or a documented saturation assessment. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observation, and documentation covering books, journals, and regulatory sources, and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. All nine participants described a consistent, functional understanding of pesticide definitions, purposes, product types, and weather-dependent spraying timing, drawing mainly on farming experience, alongside agricultural extension, peer farmers, retailers, and product labels; extension visits in this village were reportedly not conducted on a regular schedule, which may partly explain the emphasis on experience. Two divergent practices qualify this otherwise consistent picture: at least one participant's account indicates that some farmers have occasionally used a pesticide dose exceeding the label recommendation, and participants reported protective measures during spraying fall short of complete personal protective equipment, since boots and eye protection were not mentioned and the group's practice was not consistently complete. These findings are specific to the nine participating men in this single setting and season and should not be generalized to all rice farmers in Larompong Urban Village or Luwu Regency, nor to women or non-landowning pesticide handlers, who were not included. Targeted, participatory extension addressing dosage adherence and complete PPE use is suggested, rather than a general claim that farmers' knowledge is already good.

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