Do farmers understand the information displayed on pesticide product labels? A key question to reduce pesticides exposure and risk of poisoning in the Brazilian Amazon

Brazil is the world's fourth largest consumer of pesticides, and the largest in Latin America. In the Brazilian Amazon, the use of pesticides in varzeas (seasonally flooded land, where fresh vegetables are produced for regional urban markets) is intensive and is perceived by local farmers as necessary for the feasibility of vegetable production in the region. Usage of pesticides in Brazilian agriculture is regulated by Federal Law No. 7.802. However, law enforcement is almost absent in some remote areas. Given the limited or poor literacy skills of Amazon farmers and widespread use of pesticides, it is expected that occupational exposure to pesticides is likely to be high, increasing the vulnerability to acute and chronic poisoning. This paper investigates levels of understanding of pesticide handling among farmers by focusing on their ability to understand the information displayed on product labels, which might affect risk reduction.We found that the information displayed on product labels was not effective in promoting protective and safety measures. Farmers, in the main, do not read the labels, reporting that the fonts are too small, and that the instructions are too long and in overly technical Portuguese. They also understood few of the pictograms, which are directed at the illiterate. In many cases, the inability to understand the information displayed led to the adoption of practices which actually increased exposure, risks to human health and environmental contamination. This is alarming considering that 42% of farmers use methyl-parathion which is considered extremely hazardous by the WHO classification and whose use has been banned in the European Union. Farmers’ adopted practices and understanding of product labels is presented and possible alternatives discussed, including changes to the Federal law on pesticide product labeling.