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An Environmental Justice Perspective on Smallholder Pesticide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa

Isgren, Ellinor LU and Andersson, Elina LU (2021) In The Journal of Environment & Development 30(1). p.68-97
Abstract
Pesticide use is increasing in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and many smallholders purchase, handle, and apply toxic pesticides with inadequate equipment, knowledge, and technical support. Through the frame of environmental justice, this literature-based study analyzes characteristics, impacts, and drivers of smallholder pesticide use in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to Uganda as a case. We find that market liberalization, poor regulation enforcement, and persistent neglect of agricultural extension place the burden of risk largely on farmers, while perceived necessity of pesticides and the elusive nature of impacts (especially under conditions of insufficient monitoring) likely delay social mobilization around... (More)
Pesticide use is increasing in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and many smallholders purchase, handle, and apply toxic pesticides with inadequate equipment, knowledge, and technical support. Through the frame of environmental justice, this literature-based study analyzes characteristics, impacts, and drivers of smallholder pesticide use in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to Uganda as a case. We find that market liberalization, poor regulation enforcement, and persistent neglect of agricultural extension place the burden of risk largely on farmers, while perceived necessity of pesticides and the elusive nature of impacts (especially under conditions of insufficient monitoring) likely delay social mobilization around pesticides. The environmental justice frame, which has seen limited application in smallholder contexts, importantly helps delineate future directions for research and practice. It is particularly effective for redirecting focus from highly limited managerial solutions for “safe use” toward deeper problem drivers and solutions capable of tackling them. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
agrochemicals, environmental health, environmental justice, Integrated pest management, pest management, pesticides, slow violence, smallholder farming
in
The Journal of Environment & Development
volume
30
issue
1
pages
30 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85097126512
ISSN
1552-5465
DOI
10.1177/1070496520974407
project
Pest management and environmental justice in a changing climate – the case of Uganda
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5a339849-7be1-40e1-9f08-ce0ed1d74409
date added to LUP
2020-12-04 11:50:22
date last changed
2022-04-26 22:21:01
@article{5a339849-7be1-40e1-9f08-ce0ed1d74409,
  abstract     = {{Pesticide use is increasing in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and many smallholders purchase, handle, and apply toxic pesticides with inadequate equipment, knowledge, and technical support. Through the frame of environmental justice, this literature-based study analyzes characteristics, impacts, and drivers of smallholder pesticide use in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular attention to Uganda as a case. We find that market liberalization, poor regulation enforcement, and persistent neglect of agricultural extension place the burden of risk largely on farmers, while perceived necessity of pesticides and the elusive nature of impacts (especially under conditions of insufficient monitoring) likely delay social mobilization around pesticides. The environmental justice frame, which has seen limited application in smallholder contexts, importantly helps delineate future directions for research and practice. It is particularly effective for redirecting focus from highly limited managerial solutions for “safe use” toward deeper problem drivers and solutions capable of tackling them.}},
  author       = {{Isgren, Ellinor and Andersson, Elina}},
  issn         = {{1552-5465}},
  keywords     = {{agrochemicals; environmental health; environmental justice; Integrated pest management; pest management; pesticides; slow violence; smallholder farming}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{68--97}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{The Journal of Environment & Development}},
  title        = {{An Environmental Justice Perspective on Smallholder Pesticide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1070496520974407}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1070496520974407}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}