Farmers Awareness Concerning Negative Effects of Pesticides on Environment in Jordan

The main goal of this study was to determine the levels of knowledge of the farmers on the effect of pesticides on environment in Valleys area, Jordan. This is achieved through realizing some secondary objectives such as identification of the farmers' socioeconomic characteristics and its relation to some of the study variables, their attitude towards the negative effects of pesticides on the environment, their knowledge level about pesticides effect and their sources of information about pesticides use, storage and disposal. The study covered valleys areas, and some 98 farmers were included as stratified random sample. The results revealed that the 5% farmers do not rely on agricultural extension but they seek information from other trustworthy sources. The farmers have a positive attitude towards learning about the negative effects of the pesticides on the environment. The study also showed that the most common method of pesticides application is spraying using axi-sprayers or portable sprayers. Strengthen the agricultural extension and increase its effectiveness, promote trust and communication between those who guiding and farmers. Also strengthen the link between agricultural research centers and guiding centers to identify the appropriate type of pesticide to combat, to achieve the best results with least damage. Farmers should be knowledgeable about the importance of continuous medical checking up of their workers and especially those dealing with the agricultural chemicals.Â