Empoderamento e construção coletiva de estratégias ante vulnerabilidades e situações de risco no uso de agrotóxicos

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to describe some of the vulnerabilities and risk situations related of pesticides and their implications on the health of rural workers in the Miguel Calmon city. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to random samples of 98 farm workers. to obtain data on social, economic and cultural characteristics, as well as the morbidity related to pesticide poisoning. An event was held in the City with the aim of instigating the community to develop coping strategies These farm workers have low level of schooling and low family incomes. About 60% reported the use of pesticides in their plantations. Eleven percent of the population reported poisoning events at some point in their lives and . 80% reported symptoms suggestive of pesticide poisoning. Although 40% of farmers did not use pesticides, only 28% reported knowledge about agroecology or organic production. This results was presented at an event in the city and was discussed the need to devise projects that address this problem in the region. The community has listed several strategies to opposing the conventional production for who don’t use pesticides and for who are unaware the sustainable agriculture.