What drives the pesticide user practices among farmers in tropical regions? A case study in Sri Lanka.

Pesticides are widely used in tropical regions of the world, and therefore explorations of user practices and drivers of pesticide usage among farmers are important for sustainable agriculture. Therefore, perceptions, knowledge, and drivers leading to the practices of pesticide use among farmers were explored using a semi-structured questionnaire survey using 246 farmers in upcountry vegetable growing areas and low country field crop cultivation areas in tropical Sri Lanka. The study revealed a significant increase in pesticide usage in upcountry vegetable growing areas.