An Environmental Justice Perspective on Smallholder Pesticide Use in Sub-Saharan Africa
(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:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/5a339849-7be1-40e1-9f08-ce0ed1d74409
- author
- Isgren, Ellinor LU and Andersson, Elina LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- 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}}, }