Citing research on agrochemical handling practices, Mulongo said 73% of local farmers wore ordinary clothing instead of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying pesticides, acaricides and herbicides.
At least 1,599 people died from organophosphate poisoning in Uganda between 2017 and 2022, as health facilities recorded 37,883 cases, prompting the Government to renew warnings against the unsafe handling and use of agricultural chemicals.
The figures, compiled from Mulago National Referral Hospital and other health facilities, were cited by the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development during a campaign to promote safer handling, application, storage and disposal of agrochemicals, including pesticides, acaricides and herbicides.
The warning was issued during a two-day training on chemical safety at workplaces held at Ridar Hotel in Mukono District on Tuesday and Wednesday. The training brought together agrochemical sprayers, farmers, agricultural extension officers, labour officers, plantation workers, farm managers and safety officers from Mukono, Buikwe, Kayunga, Kampala and Wakiso districts.
The Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Simon Mulongo, said unsafe handling of agrochemicals remained a major public health and environmental concern, given the importance of agriculture to Uganda’s economy, food security and household incomes.
Kalangala Oil Palm Farmers Face Profit Squeeze Amid Questions Over Sh12bn Fertiliser Deal
“Government also recognises that unsafe handling of agrochemicals, from storage and application to transport and disposal, has too often resulted in poisoning, chemical burns, environmental contamination and other serious health effects that are entirely preventable,” Mulongo said while opening the training on Tuesday.
Citing research on agrochemical handling practices, Mulongo said 73% of local farmers wore ordinary clothing instead of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when applying pesticides, acaricides and herbicides. Another 61% reportedly used their mouths to unblock clogged sprayer nozzles, exposing themselves directly to potentially harmful chemicals.
He urged participants to take the training seriously and share the knowledge acquired with colleagues, family members and communities.
“When you go back, please do not keep this information to yourselves but spread it to your family members, workmates and other community members,” he said.
Mulongo said many agrochemical-related injuries and deaths could be prevented if users followed recommended procedures for handling, storing and applying the chemicals.
“Government cannot achieve this alone; it requires the commitment of every employer, worker and individual represented here today,” he said.
The ministry’s Undersecretary, Grace Adong Choda, said the national evaluation of organophosphate poisoning conducted at Mulago Hospital and other health facilities between 2017 and 2022 recorded an average of 6,314 cases annually.
Adong, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said the 1,599 deaths translated into a case fatality rate of 4.2%.
“Regional studies also indicate that between 43% and 81% of smallholder farmers in some areas reported experiencing at least one acute health effect from handling agricultural chemicals,” she said.
The most commonly reported effects included skin irritation, accounting for 60.5% of cases, headaches at 31%, dizziness at 27.4% and nausea at 24.7%.
The training was organised under the Chemical Safety and Security (CHESASE) Programme in the ministry’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health to improve awareness and compliance with chemical safety standards.
Mulongo said participants were being equipped with skills in identifying hazards, controlling risks, interpreting chemical labels, using Safety Data Sheets, wearing protective equipment, preparing for emergencies and managing chemical waste.
He said the ministry was also strengthening occupational safety and health through workplace inspections, regulations, training, capacity building and public sensitisation.
During the previous financial year, the department sensitised more than 1,500 stakeholders and trained more than 474 local government and private-sector employees in chemical safety.
Nsikonene, Who Married Seven Women on Same Day Elected LC1 Chairperson
In a report, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Aggrey David Kibenge, urged participants to share the knowledge acquired, saying sustained efforts were needed to establish a nationwide culture of safe handling and management of hazardous substances.
Vegetable growers warned
Mukono Resident District Commissioner Hajat Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka called for the campaign to be extended to vegetable growers and traders, warning against the alleged practice of spraying pesticides on produce destined for markets.
She said some growers and traders reportedly applied pesticides to vegetables to prolong their shelf life and delay rotting, potentially exposing consumers to harmful chemical residues.
“The people ignorantly reason that this practice makes their products stay longer before rotting. This is so bad and culprits must be arrested and charged accordingly, more so after sensitising them about the dangers involved in such practices,” Ndisaba said.
She urged authorities to intensify public awareness and take appropriate action against those who continued to engage in unsafe practices.
Mukono District Agricultural Officer Obed Nsubuga said the misuse of pesticides and acaricides was compounded by the continued availability of some agricultural chemicals that had been banned.
He urged farmers and other users to follow recommended application procedures, store chemicals safely and observe the relevant safety guidelines.
Nsubuga also raised concern about the possible relationship between agrochemical misuse and the growing burden of cancer-related illnesses in Uganda, calling for greater public awareness of chemical safety.
The officials called for stronger cooperation among government agencies, farmers, agrochemical dealers, employers and local leaders to improve compliance with safety standards and protect workers, consumers and the environment.