Pesticide use among farmers in Mae Tha, Thailand: Perceptions of health risk as a determinant of practice

Abstract

Human behavior can change through external influence. However, internal influences, such as individual perceptions, are more powerful in triggering long-term action, ultimately allowing for substantial changes in behavioral patterns. Applying the aforementioned idea to farming practices, the following study seeks to understand the possible association between risk perception and agro-chemical use patterns between conventional and organic farms, the former using chemical pesticides and fertilizers. © 2010 IEEE.