Impact of Pesticide Exposure Among Spinach Growers in Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Excessive use of chemical pesticides in vegetable cultivation has raised concerns about food safety, environmental sustainability, and human health. Present study was undertaken to investigate safety measures to be undertaken during pesticide application by Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) growers across Jaipur region, Rajasthan. For this purpose, a descriptive, survey was undertaken among 50 purposively selected farmers and vendors, to collect information on the types of pesticides, methods of their use, frequency of application, safety measurement practices, and. sustainable use. It was revealed that 72 % farmers use synthetic pesticides, of which chlorpyrifos (21.74%) and mancozeb (17.39%) are most common. However, 53.33 % farmers consistently used protective measures with limited knowledge of frequency of pesticide application and also its proper disposal, more intensive pesticide application is done during Kharif and Rabi seasons. About 28 % farmers use bio stimulants, while 30 % farmers are found to be willing to adopt organic or bio-based alternatives. In general, there was lack of awareness and market incentives with regards to the application of pesticides. These findings indicated the need for educational programs with an access to the baseline data of forensic and public-health,