The socioeconomic drivers of pesticide use in floriculture: insights from greenhouse rose production in Ecuador

While a significant body of research has addressed the negative health implications of the use of pesticides in flower production, little attention has been paid to the socioeconomic factors shaping operators’ decisions on the amount and type of pesticides to be applied. With data from the Continuous Area and Agricultural Production Survey (ESPAC) 2021, this paper analyzed the socioeconomic determinants of the amounts of pesticides used in rose production in Ecuador. The results of Tobit models reflect that more educated operators tend to use higher amounts of—less toxic—Class III pesticides, while farmers with low education endowments apply higher amounts of—more toxic—Class II pesticides. Comparatively, larger farms use more pesticides, regardless of biological target and toxicological category. Providing operators with technical education about pests and pesticides management, promoting environmental awareness among operators and enforcement of the regulatory body concerning pesticides use are explored as alternatives to reduce the use of pesticides in flower production.