motivational factors of pesticide and fertiliser overuse

377 Pages·2011·3.56 MB·English

AGROCHEMICAL ABUSE: REASONS FOR PESTICIDE
AND FERTILISER OVERUSE AMONG ARABLE
FARMERS OF GUYANA

A thesis submitted to the University of Manchester for the
degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
In the Faculty of Humanities

2010

JEAN LYNETTE DAVID

Institute for Development Policy and Management
SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
1
LIST OF CONTENTS
Contents Page No.

LIST OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... 1
LIST OF FIGURES AND BOXES ........................................................................................ 5
LIST OF APPENDICES ....................................................................................................... 7
LIST OF ACRONYMS ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................... 8
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... 11
DECLARATION ................................................................................................................ 12
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT .............................................................................................. 12
DEDICATION .................................................................................................................... 13
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. 14
CHAPTER 1: THE SIGNIFICANCE OFAGROCHEMICAL USE: A TECHNICAL
REVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 15
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 15
1.2 Background ................................................................................................... 17
1.2.1 Agricultural Technology adoption: Global Significance and Impact of
Agrochemical Use and Abuse .......................................................................... 17
1.2.2 Agricultural Technology in Guyana: The National Significance and Impact
of Agrochemical Use and Abuse ...................................................................... 22
1.3 Rationale for Study ........................................................................................ 28
1.4 Overview of the Research .............................................................................. 33
1.5 Structure of Thesis ......................................................................................... 36
1.5.1 Thesis Outline and Framework ................................................................ 36
1.5.2 Scope and Limitations ............................................................................. 39
1.6 Summary ....................................................................................................... 40

CHAPTER 2: THE NATIONAL CONTEXT OF AGROCHEMICAL USE AND
OVERUSE ......................................................................................................................... 42
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 42
2.2 Country Review ............................................................................................. 42
2.2.1 Geographic Overview ............................................................................. 45
2.2.2 Economic Overview ................................................................................ 47
2.3 Sector Review and Significance: The Agricultural Sector .............................. 49
2.3.1 Economic Significance............................................................................ 49
2.3.2 Social Significance.................................................................................. 52
2.3.3 Environmental Significance .................................................................... 53
2.4 Sector Initiatives: Their Role in Agrochemical Abuse .................................... 54
2.5 Summary and Conclusions: A Critique of Sector Initiatives ........................... 55
1
CHAPER 3: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE .... 61
3.1 Introduction: Role and Importance of Conceptual Framework ....................... 61
3.2 Critical Conceptual Review of the Development Theory of Farming .............. 62
3.2.1 Modernist Views of farming: A Review of various perspectives.............. 62
3.2.2 Post Modernist Views of Farming: A Review of Perspectives and Critique
of Modernist Views of Farming ....................................................................... 64
3.2.3 Definition of Main Concepts .............................................................. 67
3.3 Theoretical Framework: A Contrast and Critique of Theories ....................... 71
3.3.1 Theory of Practices ................................................................................. 72
3.3.2 Rational Choice Theory (RCT) ............................................................... 77
3.3.3 Economics of Sustainable Farming ......................................................... 80
3.3.4 Sustainable livelihood concept Literature - Sustainable Livelihoods
Approach (SLA) .............................................................................................. 84
3.4 Review of Empirical Literature ...................................................................... 86
3.5 Summary and Conclusion: A Critique of Literature and Theories................... 94

CHAPTER 4: POLITICAL ECONOMY OF AGRICULTURE AND AGRARIAN
PRACTICES ..................................................................................................................... 97
4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 97
4.2 Political Economy of Guyana and its Role in Agricultural technology adoption:
A historical to present perspective ....................................................................... 99
4.3 Present Political Economy: The Growing Influence on Core Technology
Adoption Elements .............................................................................................106
4.3.1 Policy.....................................................................................................107
4.3.2 Land Ownership .....................................................................................108
4.3.3. Access to Credit ....................................................................................109
4.3.4 Gender ...................................................................................................110
4.4 The Role of Guyana‟s Political Economy in Institutions Responsible for
Technology Adoption .........................................................................................111
4.4.1 Private Sector Institutions: their role in Technology Adoption ................111
4.4.2 Government-Led Institutions: their role in Technology Adoption ...........113
4.4.3 Interest Groups and Initiatives: their role in Technology Adoption .........117
4.5 Significance of Political Economy in the study of Farming Practices ............119
4.6 Summary ......................................................................................................123

CHAPTER 5: METHODOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK ................................................ 126
5.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................126
5.1.1 Research Setting ....................................................................................127
5.1.2 Answering the Research Objectives .......................................................130
5.1.3 Methodological Theory ..........................................................................131
5.2 Research Design ...........................................................................................137
5.3 Data Collection .............................................................................................140
5.3.1 Data Collection Process: Preliminary Procedures ...................................141
5.3.2 Sampling and Data Collection Strategy .............................................142
5.3.3 Research Ethics ......................................................................................146
5.4 Data Analysis ...............................................................................................149
2
5.4.1 Data Analysis Strategy ...........................................................................149
5.4.2 Reliability and Validity ..........................................................................152
5.5 Summary ......................................................................................................155

CHAPTER 6: A QUANTITATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE PREVALENCE, INTENSITY
AND SIGNIFICANT FACTORS OF PESTICIDE AND FERTILISER OVERUSE ... 158
6.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................158
6.2 Overview of Results .....................................................................................158
6.3 Farmer and farm unit characteristics .............................................................159
6.3.1 Continuous Variables .............................................................................159
6.3.2 Categorical Variables .............................................................................163
6.4 Prevalence and Intensity and Significant Factors of Farmers‟ Overuse ..........171
6.4.1 Prevalence of Overuse............................................................................171
6.4.2 Intensity of Overuse ...............................................................................172
6.4.3 Significant factors ..................................................................................173
6.5 Secondary Data: Trends and Analysis ...........................................................183
6.5.1 Secondary Analysis: Pesticides ..............................................................184
6.5.2 Secondary Analysis: Fertilisers ..............................................................186
6.6 Summary and Conclusions: The Inadequacy of Prevalence, Intensity and
Significant Factors for Explaining Reasons for Overuse .....................................189

CHAPTER 7: CAUSES OF PESTICIDE AND FERTILISER OVERUSE:
CONTINGENT, SUPPORT AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS ................................... 191
7.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................191
7.2 Contingent Factors ........................................................................................197
7.2.1 Farmers Assuming Dosages ...................................................................197
7.2.2Farmers‟ uncertainty of the information they received .............................198
7.2.3 Farmers‟ depending on their experience .................................................200
7.2.4 Farmers‟ need for a marketable crop to survive ......................................202
7.2.5 Farmers receiving distorted information based on self interest and
deception of the sources ..................................................................................205
7.3 Support Factors .............................................................................................206
7.3.1 Disorganised information systems ..........................................................207
7.3.2 Compromised agrochemical regulations .................................................213
7.3.3 Irregular and unregulated marketing systems ..........................................219
7.4 Contextual Situations ....................................................................................223
7.4.1 Incapable extension services ..................................................................223
7.4.2 Mismatched interventions ......................................................................226
7.4.3 Absence of appropriate policy intervention ............................................229
7.4.4 Adverse marketing conditions ................................................................233
7.5 Summary and Conclusions: Overuse; Explained by linearity or
interconnectedness? ............................................................................................235

3
CHAPTER 8: FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF PRODUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL
AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF PESTICIDE AND FERTILISER OVERUSE........ 237
8.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................237
8.2 An Agronomic Approach to the Utilisation of Pesticides and Fertilisers ........240
8.3 The Effect of Overuse on Crop Production: Farmers‟ Standpoints.................245
8.3.1Crop Growth ...........................................................................................246
8.3.2 Crop Yields ............................................................................................247
8.3.3 Crop Protection ......................................................................................250
8.3.4 Crop Quality ..........................................................................................251
8.4 Overuse and Environmental Effects: Farmers‟ Perspectives ..........................253
8.5 The Economic Effects of Overuse: Farmers‟ Viewpoints ..............................256
8.6 Summary and Conclusions: The Influence of Farmers‟ Perceptions on their
Overuse practices ...............................................................................................259

CHAPTER 9: CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS .............................................. 266
9.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................266
9.2 Agrochemical Overuse: Its Source and Continuity in Arable Farmers of Guyana
...........................................................................................................................267
9.3 Concluding the Problem of Overuse: Farmers‟ Dilemma and Reaction .........269
9.3.1 Policy Implications: The Need for Demand and Supply Interventions
Which Address the Overuse Problem ..............................................................271
9.3.2 Regulatory Policy: deficiencies and mismatched interventions ...............274
9.3.3 Educational and Training Policy: deficiencies and divergent interventions
.......................................................................................................................276
9.3.4 Marketing Policy: deficiencies and lack of interventions ........................278
9.4 Implications for Policy Reformation to Address Agrochemical Overuse .......281

APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 286
BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................. 352

Final Word Count: 87,950

4
LIST OF FIGURES AND BOXES

Figure 1.1: A Critical Realist View of Causation (Sayer 2000, p15)......................... 31

Figure 5.1: Model demonstrating the research design of this study .........................140

Figure 6.1: Scatter diagram of Farmers‟ Age and Specific Area Cultivated .............163

Figure7.1: Model of the Interactions of Contingent, Support and Contextual Factors in
Explaining Causes for Farmers‟ Agrochemical Overuse .........................................194

Box 7.1 - Explicating farmers‟ Overuse via the Practice Theory: the case of Farmer
RG .........................................................................................................................196

5
LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Guyana: Sector Contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (%): ...... 48

Table 2. 2: Annual Exports of Selected Agricultural Commodities by Volume („000):
Guyana; 2000-2009 ................................................................................................. 50

Table 6.1: Means and percentages of variables: Farmer and farm unit characteristics
...............................................................................................................................161

Table 6.2: Prevalence of Pesticide and Fertiliser Overuse in Study Units of String
Bean and Egg Plant Cultivation ..............................................................................172

Table 6.3: Intensity of Fertiliser Overuse in Study Units of String Bean and Egg Plant
Cultivation .............................................................................................................173

Table 6.4: Factors Explaining Pesticide Overuse in farming Units of Combined String
Bean and Egg Plant Production ..............................................................................175

Table 6.5: Factors Explaining Fertiliser Overuse in farming Units of Combined String
Bean and Egg Plant Production ..............................................................................176

Table 6.6: Recorded Import Values of Pesticides (US$1,000): Guyana; 2000-2006 185

Table 6.7: Recorded Import Quantities of Pesticides (kg): Guyana; 2000-2009 .......186

Table 6.8: Recorded Import Quantities and Consumption in nutrients (tonnes of
nutrients) – Guyana ................................................................................................187

Table 6.9: Recorded Import Quantities of Selected Fertilisers (kg): Guyana ...........188

Table 8.1: Specific Interviewees Particulars............................................................240
6
LIST OF APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: Research Information Documents and Data Collection Instruments 286

APPENDIX 2: Tables of Quantitative Analysis and Commonly Used Agrochemicals
...............................................................................................................................320

APPENDIX 3: Interviewees (Key Informants and Framers‟) Particulars, Interviewees
Support Conversations and Integration of Causal Factors .......................................328

APPENDIX 4: Summary of Farmers‟ Perceptions Concerning the Effects of Overuse
on Crop production and Potential Environmental and Economic Effects .................345

APPENDIX 5: Photographic Documentation of Fieldwork .....................................350
7
LIST OF ACRONYMS ABBREVIATIONS
ACIAR Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research
AITCC Agriculture In-Service Training & Communication Centre
ADP Agricultural Diversification Programme
AED Audio English Dictionary
AOA Agreement on Agriculture
AWI Australian Wool Innovations Limited
BOG Bank of Guyana
CARICOM Caribbean Community
CARIFORUM Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
CAQDAS Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software
CDC Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
CED Collins English Dictionary
CET Common External Tariff
CFA Cane Farmers Association
CIMMYT International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre
CLSS Crops and Livestock Support Services
CS Commonwealth Secretariat
DFID Department for International Development
EAB Environmental Assessment Board
EC European Commission
ECD English Collins Dictionary
EDC Entrepreneurial Development Centre
EEPSEA Economy and Environment Program for South East Asia
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
ERP Economic Recovery Programme
ESRC Economic and Social Research Council
EU European Union
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FEPA Food and Environmental Protection Act
FFS Farmer Field School
FFTC Food & Fertiliser Technology Centre for the Asian &Pacific Centre
FIFRA Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
FSC Forest Stewardship Council
GAP Good Agricultural Practice
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GINA Government Information Agency
GLSC Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission
GNBS Guyana National Bureau of Statistics
GOI Guyana Office for Investment
GOG Government of Guyana
GR Green Revolution
GRDB Guyana Rice Development Board
GRDC Grains Research Development Corporation
Guysuco Guyana Sugar Corporation
HYV High Yielding Variety
IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ICZM Integrated Coastal Zone Management
8
IDB Inter-American Development Bank
IDRC International Development Research Centre
IEEP Institute for European Environmental Policy
IFA International Fertilizer Industry Association
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
IFPRI International Food Policy Research Institute
IICA Inter-American Agency for Cooperation on Agriculture
IMF International Monetary Fund
IOMC Inter-Organization Programme for Management of Chemicals
IPED Institute of Private Enterprise Development
IPCS International Programme on Chemical Safety
IPM Integrated Pest Management
IWRAW International Women‟s Rights Action Watch
JIFSAN Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
LDC Least Developed Country
LSC Lands and Survey Commission, Guyana
LWA Land and Water Australia
MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries
MFMTF Michigan Farm Market Task Force
MLA Meat and Livestock Australia
MOA Ministry of Agriculture
MV Modern Variety
NARI National Agricultural Research Institute
NCSU North Carolina State University
NDC Neighbourhood Democratic Council
NDS National Development Strategy
NES No Early Insecticide Spraying
NGMC New Guyana Marketing Corporation
NHE New Household Economics
NMTPF National Medium Term Priority Framework
NSA Network for Sustainable Agriculture
NYSDL New York State Department of Labour
OED Oxford English Dictionary
ODI Overseas Development Institute
PERC Political Economy Research Centre
PNC People‟s National Congress
POA Partners of the Americas
PPP People‟s Progressive Party
PSC Private Sector Commission
PT Practice Theory
PTCB Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Board
READ Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Development
RCT Rational Choice Theory
RDC Regional Democratic Council
RPA Rice Producers Association
RPE Rational Peasant Economics
SANDEE South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics
SAS Statistical Analysis System
SED School of Environment and Development
SPS Sanitary and PhytoSanitary
9