Magazine 2016
International Peer-Reviewed Journal
RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 6 JULY 2016
OCCUPATION RELATED HEALTH PROBLEMS AMONG
AGRICULTURAL WORKERS IN THENI DISTRICT
*
A. Sangamithra
ABSTRACT
Agriculture, the largest private enterprise in India, has been and will continue to be the lifeline of the
Indian economy at least in the foreseeable future. It is a matter of concern, therefore, that the share of
agriculture in the country’s economy has been decreasing over the years. Agriculture is considered to
be one of the oldest occupations, perhaps as old as human civilization. The Tamil Nadu State has as
an area of 1.3 Lakhs sq.km with a gross cropped area of around 63 Lakhs Hectares. Tamil Nadu
performed well ahead of other major States in terms of productivity of important crops. It ranked second
in the productivity of paddy next only to Punjab and came first in the yield of maize and oilseeds. The
productivity of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu was almost double of what was obtained at the national level.
The better agricultural accomplishments are the result of continued technological gains. The conditions
of farmers in Tamil Nadu seem to be very unpleasant and therefore farmers do not want their children
to continue farming. Low income and productivity, irregular weather cycles, and low levels of support
from the government seem to be the most important reasons among farmers for such dissatisfaction.
Farmers’ usage of pesticides is higher in India, which also affects their health and health of consumers,
where Government can take certain severe steps in avoiding the usage of banned pesticides, as
pesticides may not only increase the yield of the crop but it also increases the likelihood of getting
more dangerous diseases for both farmers and consumers. Hence farmers should use all the protective
equipment when they handle these sort of pesticides but unfortunately Indian farmers fail to use these
equipments as they are least aware or not at all aware of personal protective equipments, which they
should be educated about. For the improvement in the nation’s overall health, usage of pesticides,
herbicides and others can be avoided and instead the Government can pave way for organic farming.
This can be made possible if farmers co-operate for their own benefit and for benefit of the nation,
where strengthening the Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities and special health
check-up camps with emphasis on improvement of health and awareness could help to combat the
situation.
Key Words : Agriculture, Health, Tamil Nadu, Pesticides
Introduction :
Agriculture, the largest private enterprises in India, has been and will continue to be the lifeline of the
Indian economy at least in the foreseeable future. It is a matter of concern therefore that the share of
agriculture in the country’s economy has been decreasing over the years. Agriculture is considered to
be one of the oldest occupations, perhaps as old as human civilization. Approximately 2 billion people
are engaged in agriculture and related work in the developing countries of Asia, whereas the developed
countries contribution is merely 100 millions. In a country like India, large workforce is employed in
diverse settings. Today we have 360 million workforces, of which 225 million in agriculture & 120
million are in industrial sector. In the last 50 years, due to rapid industrialization, India has been
considered as a newly industrialized country. In spite of this 50% of our Gross Domestic Product is still
being contributed by the agriculture sector. Thus, this sector is very vital and the most important sector
of our economy. Agriculture workers (AWs) are the main pillars for growth and development of this
sector. In the fourth report of the joint ILO/WHO committee on occupational health, an agriculture
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worker means any person engaged either permanently or temporarily, in activities related to agriculture,
irrespective of his/her legal status. In India, the Ministry of Labour includes ploughing, sowing, weeding,
transplanting, harvesting, cultivation, forestry, plantation, fisheries, and others as principal agricultural
operations. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the agriculture work is that, it is carried out in
an essentially rural environments where working and living conditions are interwoven. Agricultural
work is subject to the health risks inherent to a rural environment and at the same time to those deriving
from the specific work process involved. This sector of activity being most unorganized, very little
attention has been given to the occupational health problems of these workers; though there is need
for investigation and intervention towards these problems. (Vijay Kumar Manwani, 2012).
1
.2 Agriculture in Tamil Nadu
Agriculture continues to be the most predominant sector of the State economy, as 70 percent of the
population is engaged in agriculture and allied activities for their livelihood. The State has as an area of
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.3 Lakhs sq.km with a gross cropped area of around 63 Lakhs Hectares. Tamil Nadu has all along
been one of the states with a creditable performance in agricultural production with the farmers relatively
more responsive and receptive to changing technologies and market forces.
Tamil Nadu performed well ahead of other major States in terms of productivity of important crops. It
ranked second in the productivity of paddy next only to Punjab and came first in the yield of maize and
oilseeds. The productivity of sugarcane in Tamil Nadu was almost double of what was obtained at the
national level. The better agricultural accomplishments are the result of continued technological gains.
The conditions of farmers in Tamil Nadu appear to be very unpleasant and therefore farmers do not
want their children to continue farming. Low income and productivity, irregular weather cycles, and
low levels of support from the government seem to be the most important reasons among farmers for
such dissatisfaction. Farmers believe that farming is not a profitable profession and earning is not
enough so their children should opt out from farming. There is no future in farming that is why their
children should quit farming. For most agricultural workers, much work is outdoors and may involve
extremes of weather. Crop harvesting may require bending and crouching. Because machinery and
animals can cause injury, workers must take precautions and be alert. Although crop workers may risk
exposure to pesticides, exposure can be minimal if appropriate safety precautions are followed Heat
stress is a serious concern. Besides this, farmers also have a high risk of exposure to pesticides and
they include production workers, formulators, sprayers, mixers, loaders and agricultural farm workers.
During manufacture and formulation, the possibility of hazards may be higher because the processes
involved are not risk free. In industrial settings, workers are at increased risk since they handle various
toxic chemicals including pesticides, raw materials, toxic solvents and inert carriers.
1
.3 Theni District’s Agricultural situation
Theni District is situated in between latitude 90 30 and 100 30 and longitude 770 00 and 780 30 with an
area of 3242.30 sq.km. It is an inland district. It is encompassed on the West by Kerala State, on the
East by Madurai District, on the North by Dindigul District and on the South partly by Kerala State and
partly by Virudhunagar District. The main occupation of people of Theni is Agriculture. The total
geographical area of the district is 2888923 Ha. The details on taluks, blocks, village panchayats and
town panchayats are illustrated below:
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Source: Tamil Nadu Government, Agriculture Department,2011
Manjalar, Periyar, Theniar, Vaigai and Varahanadhi passes through the district. The major river basin is
Vaigai. In the hilly areas of the Theni district i.e., Uthamapalayam, Periyakulam etc. crops like fruits,
vegetables and flowers are grown, which are supplied to other district in the state and also to some
northern states. Paddy is cultivated twice in a year. The normal seasons for cultivation of paddy are
June-August and September-December. During these seasons short and long term crops are sown.
Dung, leaf manure, tank silt, municipal compost and oil cake besides chemical fertilisers, are the
important manure used in the district. Cumbu and groundnuts are also cultivated. Ragi, which is the
staple food of the poorest class, is mostly grown as are crops like paddy. Cotton is also sown in rain
fed and irrigated areas. Plantain is commonly grown in almost all of the taluks( Tamil Nadu Government,
Agriculture Department,2011).
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.4 Occupational Hazards in farming
According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the agricultural sector is one of the most
hazardous to health worldwide. Agricultural work possess several characteristics that are risky for
health; exposure to the weather, close contact with animals and plants, extensive use of chemical and
biological products, pesticides, difficult working postures and lengthy hours. The use of chemicals
in modern agriculture has significantly increased productivity . Ill health arising from agricultural
work has negative implications for agricultural productivity. The economic costs arising from the
occupational health hazards of agricultural often arise because of the economic intensives of agricultural
work. A study in Carchi, Ecuador (2003) - the country’s most important potato - growing zone by a
group of international scientists and the International Potato Centre found that pesticides bring income
gains but overall they result in lower economic productivity owing to their health costs. Potato farmers
in Ecuador rely on chemicals inputs to manage pests and optimize yields. Integrated pest management
techniques lower production costs, reduce pesticides exposure, and improve long term agricultural
sustainability. Public extension does not, however, exist in Ecuador, and cost-effective means of
communicating complex messages to producers are needed. Researchers analyzed cost-effectiveness
of alternative dissemination methods, including Farmer Field Schools (FFS), field days, pamphlets
and word of mouth transmission. Field days and pamphlets had strong impacts on adoption, especially
considering their low costs. FFS were effective, but expensive. Evidence also indicated that significant
diffusion from FFS to non-FFS farmers, indicating high complementarily across methods (Mauceri,
Maria et. al, 2007).
In India, 147 pesticides have been registered as active ingredients and the tolerance limits of only 50
have been evaluated. There is much unknown about the potential effects of these chemicals, even the
ones that have been evaluated. Also, the “formulants”, which are added to the active ingredients, are
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a matter of concern. They are not necessarily inactive and could cause their own effects. No tests are
done for such possible effects. Many such pesticides are used in large volumes and in an intensive
fashion on the cotton crop grown in this country. ( Kavitha Kuruganti,2004)
Organophosphates (OPs), the most widely used insecticide type, are designed to be neurotoxic to
living organisms. OPs and Carbamates interfere and inhibit the activity of cholinesterase which in turns
works with neurotransmitters. As a result there is over-stimulation of nerve endings causing acute
poisoning symptoms such as, serious sensory and behavioural disturbances, impaired coordination,
muscle twitching, weakness, reduced heart rate, depressed cognition and coma. Organophosphates
have also been shown to cross the placenta and therefore, cause potential [adverse] developmental
effects in humans. Similar is the case with Synthetic Pyrethroids. Though these pesticides have been
brought in as replacements and solutions to OPs, Carbamates and Organochlorine compounds, they
too attack the nervous system. Some pyrethroids have been associated with neurologic and respiratory
reactivity as well as potential hormonal effects. It is believed that the nature of the health effects from
pesticides depends on the type of pesticide, the dose, timing and duration of exposure, as well as the
particular susceptibility of the exposed individual. But farming community members apparently have
no control over several or all of these factors, given a cocktail exposure situation.
The exposure routes for the agricultural workers could be more direct (since many of them work in the
agricultural fields). It could be in utero, or for a foetus, even before its creation, a malformed sperm
because of the impact of pesticides. It could be because of the toxic residues present in the mothers’
milk. It could be because of residues in food and water, or contaminants left in the soil and air. The
pesticide industry in particular and agriculture scientists in general have for long perpetrated this myth
that without the poisons called pesticides, agricultural yields cannot be protected or increased. In
recent times however, there has been some acknowledgement from the premiere agriculture research
institutions of the CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) setup itself that
pesticides are best used only as a last resort and that there has been much abuse of these chemicals
leading to a variety of problems. A few potential impacts of only some pesticides are known to humankind
despite the frenzy to create more molecules, to get them registered with concerned authorities and to
make profits out of selling them. In India there has been much written about the inadequacy of the
current stipulated tests for pesticides registration and regulation even in the developed world.(Kavitha
Kuruganti,2004)
1
.5 Data and Methods:
An attempt has been made in this research to analyze the extent of occupational hazards of the
agricultural workers, accessibility, affordability and the treatment seeking behavior and cost incurred
for the treatment among them. Data are urgently needed, and to this extent, the researcher conducted
a survey of 50 agricultural workers who are engaged in agricultural works and labours in Theni district
limits. Theni district was selected because the pesticides residues and fertilizers from the agricultural
fields in and around area of Theni district contaminate many rivers including Mullaiperiyar River. The
river water is slowly polluting because of the above activities on the river bank. Due to pollution of
Mullaiperiyar River water, the ground water in and around the river are also affected. In future, the
ground water will be completely polluted if a prevention measure are not taken, (Ramakrishnan, D et.al
2
012) and due to heavy use of pesticides agricultural workers in Theni district is also affected from
various diseases. Hence Theni district is selected as area of the study.
1
1
.6 Data Analysis and Interpretation
.6.1 Health Status of the Respondents
The following table shows that the overall health status of the agricultural workers. It can be classified
into three categories such as average, good and bad (sick) respectively. Self-assessed health status is
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a measure of how an individual perceives his or her health—rating it as good, bad or average. Self-
assessed health status has been validated as a useful indicator of health for a variety of populations
and allows for broad comparisons across different conditions and populations.
Table 1
Health Status of the Respondents
Source: Primary Data
The above table shows that most of the respondents (54 per cent) reported that they have average
health conditions, 12 respondents (24 percent) said they have good health and 11 respondents have
reported their health condition was bad.
1
.6.2 Disease Status of the Respondents
The common diseases affecting the persons in the study area are: Cold, Fever, Head ache, Stomach pain,
malaria, Typhoid, Chicken Pox. The common diseases and the number of agricultural workers affected
by those diseases are presented in Table 3.
Table 2
Disease Status of the Respondents
Headache
Source: Primary Data
The above table examines that the disease status of the sample agricultural workers. Out of 50
respondents in total, 23 respondents (46 per cent) had head ache, 17 respondents often suffered from
cold, 2 respondents had Allergies. Fever was a common disease for 12 per cent of the respondents, 1
respondent was affected by Malaria and finally Typhoid affected 1 respondent.
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1
.6.3 Biological agents and Vector of Diseases
Vectors are living organisms that can transmit infectious diseases between humans or from animals to
humans. Many of these vectors are bloodsucking insects, which ingest disease-producing
microorganisms during a blood meal from an infected host (human or animal) and later inject it into a
new host during their subsequent blood meal. Mosquitoes are the best known disease vector. Others
include ticks, flies, sand flies, fleas, triatomine bugs and some freshwater aquatic snails, which are
more bound to agricultural workers.
Table 3
Biological agents and Vector of Diseases
Source: Primary Data
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The above table shows that out of 50 respondents, 48 respondents are affected by toxic hazards, 49
respondents had certain skin disease through the biological agents and other sources which affected
the workers while working in the farming field, Fungal infections affected 31 respondents, 12 respondents
were affected by Zoonosis like Anthrax and finally only 2 respondents affected by poison and wild bite
while working in the agricultural field.
1
.7 Conclusion
Indian agriculture accounts for 25% of Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on which 75 5 of country’s
population depends on. Agricultural workers do not have any trade unions and have no access to
occupational health services. Occupational health in the agricultural sector is a new concept (Kulkarni
R.R et.al 2013). As above analysis clearly shows that agricultural workers from Theni District have a
multitude of health problems, a fact which is often forgotten because of misconception that occupational
health is mainly concerned with industry and industrialized countries, as Agricultural workers suffer a
lot from the hazards that is bound to their occupation, according to this study only 12 respondents out
of 50 has good health condition, where majority of the respondents has bad or average health status;
it is due to their occupational stress and hazards they face in their work place. Indian farmers are often
affected by the work place accidents and hazards which is more than farmers from other countries,
because the other national farmers are trained to use the equipments with certain safety measures and
usage of personal protective equipments like disposable gloves, barn work gloves, protective eye
wear, agricultural respirators and others are more in developed and other developing countries
comparative to India, which is not a good scenario. Because in India usage of pesticides (banned/non-
banned) are more , which affects farmers who directly deal with it and also the end consumers who
consume it, in this issue only Government can take certain severe steps in avoiding the usage of
banned pesticides, as pesticides may not only increases the yield of the crop but it also increases the
likelihood of getting more of dangerous diseases for both farmers and consumers , hence farmers
should use all the protective equipment when they handle these sort of pesticides but unfortunately
Indian farmers are failing to use these equipments as they are least aware or not at all aware of personal
protective equipments, which should be educated to them in good strait and for the improvement in
the nation’s overall health, usage of pesticides, herbicides and others can be avoided instead
Government can pave way for organic farming which can be possible if farmers co-operates for their
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RESEARCH HORIZONS, VOL. 6 JULY 2016
own benefit and for benefit of the nation, where strengthening the Information, Education and
Communication (IEC) activities and special health check-ups camps with emphasis on improvement
of health and awareness could help to combat the situation.
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K., Kuruganti. (2003). “Arrested Development”: A study on the human health impacts of pesticides,.
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D., M., & K. (2012). Environmental Impact Studies of Mullaiperiyar River Water in Theni District on
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Mauceri, M., Alwang, J., Norton, G., & Barrera, V. (2007). Effectiveness of Integrated Pest Management
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I., P. (2007). Pesticide use in the rice bowl of Kerala/ : Health Costs and Policy Options. South Asian
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Patil, d. A., & katti, r. J. (2012). Modern agriculture, pesticides and human health: a case of agricultural
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Http://www.theni.tn.nic.in/pdfs/agriculture
Http://www.thenitimes.com/district/agriculture/p1.html
http://www.tn.gov.in/dear/Agriculture.pdf
http://ecourts.gov.in/tn/theni
*
Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641046,
Email : [email protected]
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