Pesticide Research on Environmental and Human Exposure and Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Literature Review

Samuel Fuhrimann, Chenjie Wan, Elodie Blouzard, Adriana Veludo, Zelda Holtman, Shala Chetty-Mhlanga, Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie, Aggrey Atuhaire, Hans Kromhout, Martin Röösli and Hanna-Andrea Rother
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Samuel Fuhrimann: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
Chenjie Wan: Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
Elodie Blouzard: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
Adriana Veludo: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
Zelda Holtman: Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
Shala Chetty-Mhlanga: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie: Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa
Aggrey Atuhaire: Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH), Kampala 12590, Uganda
Hans Kromhout: Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences (IRAS), Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
Martin Röösli: Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
Hanna-Andrea Rother: Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7729, South Africa

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 19, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: On the African continent, ongoing agriculture intensification is accompanied by the increasing use of pesticides, associated with environmental and public health concerns. Using a systematic literature review, we aimed to map current geographical research hotspots and gaps around environmental and public health risks research of agriculture pesticides in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Studies were included that collected primary data on past and current-used agricultural pesticides and assessed their environmental occurrence, related knowledge, attitude and practice, human exposure, and environmental or public health risks between 2006 and 2021. We identified 391 articles covering 469 study sites in 37 countries in SSA. Five geographical research hotspots were identified: two in South Africa, two in East Africa, and one in West Africa. Despite its ban for agricultural use, organochlorine was the most studied pesticide group (60%; 86% of studies included DDT). Current-used pesticides in agriculture were studied in 54% of the study sites (including insecticides (92%), herbicides (44%), and fungicides (35%)). Environmental samples were collected in 67% of the studies (e.g., water, aquatic species, sediment, agricultural produce, and air). In 38% of the studies, human subjects were investigated. Only few studies had a longitudinal design or assessed pesticide’s environmental risks; human biomarkers; dose-response in human subjects, including children and women; and interventions to reduce pesticide exposure. We established a research database that can help stakeholders to address research gaps, foster research collaboration between environmental and health dimensions, and work towards sustainable and safe agriculture systems in SSA.

Keywords: agriculture; environmental risks; exposure risks; food production; organochlorine; organophosphate; pesticides; plant protection products; public health; SDG 2; SDG 12; SSA (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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