PERCEPTIONS OF PESTICIDES IMPACTS ON AGRICULTURAL SOILS IN THREE LOCALITIES OF NORTHERN CAMEROON (SANGUÉRÉ-PAUL, DJALINGO AND BABLA)

Despite their dangers, plant protection products continue to be used throughout the world and in developing countries, in which Cameroon is one of them. This study was carried out in order to gather the perceptions of farmers on the impacts of pesticides on agricultural soils and finally to propose alternatives for solving agricultural/environmental problems.225 people were concerned with the known as study. The method used to collect farmers perceptions is based on interviews conducted with farmers in the survey areas (semi-structured interviews and focus group). The results show that 46% of the farmers surveyed use only herbicides in the field, 39% combine herbicides with insecticides, and 15% combine herbicides with insecticides and fungicides. The most widely used pesticide is Round up, despite its ban. It is followed by Gramosol, Atrazine, Kalach, and Duiron. 135 people (60%) of the farmers surveyed qualify the agricultural environment as moderately good (farmers having staying between 6 and 20 years and over 20 years in the study localities). 8% say it is poor quality. The perception of the quality of the agricultural environment depends very much on the residence length. 173 people (77%) of the farmers surveyed have noticed a degradation of the soil since they began to use pesticides in the field. 85% noted a proliferation of weeds/insects in fields treated with pesticides. 91% also observed a proliferation of new species of grass/insects in fields treated with pesticides. Majority of the farmers surveyed (60%), believes that instead of pesticides, the use of agricultural machinery is better and will allow them to boost their agricultural production while protecting the soil and the environment.