Farmers were generally unaware that the use of protective
clothing during insecticide application was a precautionary
measure to reduce exposure to insecticides and minimize
hazard, and wearing protective clothing was not a
common practice. Most did not wear boots, masks, hand
gloves, or eye goggles during spraying operations, and were
thus predisposed to exposure through dermal and inhalation
routes. This is in line with findings of vegetable farmers in Ghana who generally did not wear protective clothing.19 A
majority of the cacao farmers in this study believed it is a
burden to wear protective clothing during insecticide application.
This also conforms with findings in Sri Lanka
where farmers reportedly found protective clothing, gloves
or mouthpiece uncomfortable in the hot humid climate and
believe that they hamper work output.20 It is also in agreement
with findings in Greece where tobacco farmers found
protective equipment both uncomfortable and time consuming.21
However, the findings contrast with earlier findings
that rubber boots and overalls were the most popular clothing
items among pest control operators (PCOs) in Nigeria.11
The PCOs were trained and literate personnel, mostly from
public service farm establishments, which demonstrates the
functionality of literacy and awareness training for the cacao
farmers. Many of these farmers had no formal training on
pesticide application and management and several are illiterates
who can neither read nor comprehend insecticide labels.
Hence, they are left on their own to handle insecticides as
deemed suitable, and this predisposes them to hazard. To reduce
exposure due to spillage, spraying equipment should be
checked to ensure that it works properly and does not leak.
The cacao farmers paid less attention to this and, surprisingly,
some of them indicated during the oral interviews that
a little splash of the insecticides could be used as a lotion to
cure eyes of worm infection. This further attests to the level
of misuse of insecticides