Is the Environmental Behavior of Farmers Affecting Their Pesticide Practices? A Case Study from Greece

Evangelia Karasmanaki, Panagiota Dimopoulou, Zisis Vryzas, Philippos Karipidis and Georgios Tsantopoulos
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Evangelia Karasmanaki: Department of Forestry and Management of Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece
Panagiota Dimopoulou: Department of Forestry and Management of Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece
Zisis Vryzas: Department of Agricultural Development, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece
Philippos Karipidis: Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Economics and Entrepreneurship, International Hellenic University, 57400 Sindos, Greece
Georgios Tsantopoulos: Department of Forestry and Management of Environment and Natural Resources, Democritus University of Thrace, 193 Pantazidou Street, 68 200 Orestiada, Greece

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 3, 1-15

Abstract: Policymakers often assume that farmers with pro-environmental behavior are more likely to follow proper pesticide practices and thus, in order to improve the safety of their pesticide practices, they implement strategies and programs designed to raise environmental awareness among the general public. The aim of this paper is to examine whether pro-environmental behavior can instigate proper pesticide practices among farmers. According to our results, farmers’ environmental behavior does not affect their pesticide practices and thus strategies aiming at raising environmental awareness among the general public would not prompt them to follow proper pesticide practices. In addition, the respondents reported following overall proper practices such as wearing masks and appropriate clothes during sprayings as well as rinsing the empty containers by performing the triple-rinse method. However, they did not wear gloves during applications, and many disposed the remaining pesticide concentrate to non-arable land. To conclude, in order to improve farmers’ pesticide practices, strategies and programs specifically designed for farmers must be developed because those addressed to the general public would not be effective. Moreover, certain improper practices found in this study ought to be addressed by policymakers and actors involved in the agricultural sector.

Keywords: pesticide use; sustainable agriculture; farmers’ pesticide practices; sustainable use of pesticides; farmers’ behavior; 2009/128/EC Directive on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides (SUP) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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