DANIDA

Strengthening Farmers’ IPM in Pesticide-Intensive Areas

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Training on farmers' health related to pesticide use

Helen Murphy is an epidemiologist with many years experience in studying health problems of farmers that are related to pesticide use. She has published numerous studies on the health effects of pesticides has been working with the United nations Food and Agriculture Organizations (FAO)  in Thailand and several other countries in South and South-East Asia (Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and India). She has, together with Thai Education Foundation, developed a participatory and practical training methodology where teachers, school children and farmers learn how to survey the health effects of pesticides.

Between 21 October and 8 November, Helen Murphy will work with the IPM DANIDA project to conduct training workshops on pesticides and farmer health. During the first week, trainers of two agricultural regions (OARD-2 and OARD-5) will learn how to conduct health surveys and how to train farmers to conducts these health studies. During the second week, these trainers will then train a group of vegetable farmers (Nonthaburi, Kanchanaburi) and collect and analyze data of their pesticide use. The third week, this program will be repeated with a group of fruit growers near Phitsanulok.

Participants first learn how to identify the pesticides (trade names, active ingredients, classification, etc.)

Participants of the workshop have made "body maps" where they show the various signs and symptoms of pesticide poisoning.

Helen Murphy shows pictures of skin symptoms that were caused by pesticides.