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<p>The intensification of smallholder agriculture in northern Ghana has driven a rapid increase in agrochemical use, resulting in substantial accumulation of hazardous waste across rural areas. This study explores smallholder farmers’ strategies for sustainable management of their agrochemical waste and the associated health and environmental risks in the Sissala East Municipality. Using a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 306 randomly selected farmers and qualitative interviews with 11 key stakeholders, the study integrates Social Cognitive Theory to analyze how personal, behavioral, and environmental factors interact to shape smallholder farmers’ waste-handling decisions. The findings revealed that agrochemical waste management strategies included burning (38.9%), burying (37.9%), and open-field dumping (11.4%). A multivariate probit model confirms that access to extension services is the most influential determinant of safe agrochemical waste management, increasing the likelihood of returning pesticide containers to vendors by approximately 75.6% points. Farmer-respondents exhibited high awareness of environmental and health risks associated with agrochemical application, yet structural constraints hinder the translation of this awareness and knowledge into safe disposal practices. The study concludes that sustainable agrochemical waste management requires integrated, multi-actor strategies that combine infrastructure investment, strengthened regulatory enforcement, and extension-led positive behavioral change. Sustainable agrochemical waste management highlights urgent priorities for policy reforms to safeguard environmental quality, public health, and long-term agricultural sustainability in Ghana’s rural communities.</p>

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Risk perceptions and institutional roles in agrochemical waste management among smallholder farmers in northern Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月3日

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  • John Bosco Baguri Sumani,
  • Justice Aduko,
  • Bismark Yeboah Boasu

摘要

The intensification of smallholder agriculture in northern Ghana has driven a rapid increase in agrochemical use, resulting in substantial accumulation of hazardous waste across rural areas. This study explores smallholder farmers’ strategies for sustainable management of their agrochemical waste and the associated health and environmental risks in the Sissala East Municipality. Using a mixed-methods approach involving a survey of 306 randomly selected farmers and qualitative interviews with 11 key stakeholders, the study integrates Social Cognitive Theory to analyze how personal, behavioral, and environmental factors interact to shape smallholder farmers’ waste-handling decisions. The findings revealed that agrochemical waste management strategies included burning (38.9%), burying (37.9%), and open-field dumping (11.4%). A multivariate probit model confirms that access to extension services is the most influential determinant of safe agrochemical waste management, increasing the likelihood of returning pesticide containers to vendors by approximately 75.6% points. Farmer-respondents exhibited high awareness of environmental and health risks associated with agrochemical application, yet structural constraints hinder the translation of this awareness and knowledge into safe disposal practices. The study concludes that sustainable agrochemical waste management requires integrated, multi-actor strategies that combine infrastructure investment, strengthened regulatory enforcement, and extension-led positive behavioral change. Sustainable agrochemical waste management highlights urgent priorities for policy reforms to safeguard environmental quality, public health, and long-term agricultural sustainability in Ghana’s rural communities.