Dataset on cocoa farmers’ agrochemical handling practices and safety compliance in Ahafo Ano North district, Ashanti region, Ghana

• Main Author: Abayomi Samuel Oyekale
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2019-12-01
• Series: Data in Brief
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340919311229

Agrochemicals are essential but hazardous inputs being utilized at different stages in cocoa production. Safeguarding the health of workers handling these chemicals is therefore of utmost importance. Although Ghanaian government implemented mass spraying of cocoa with every essential occupational safety being followed, non-workability of the programme in many parts of the cocoa producing areas necessitates supplementary application of agrochemicals by many farmers. Therefore, a survey was conducted in Ahafo Ano North district of the Ashanti region in 2015 to understand the compliance of farmers to safety guidelines in handling agrochemicals. The survey was conducted with structured questionnaires that were written in English language and translated into the local language in the course of the interviews. A total of 246 cocoa farmers were interviewed using stratified sampling procedures. The questionnaire, which was divided into four sections solicited information on farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, safeguard measures being taken by the farmers in the course of handling agrochemicals, health complaints after handling agrochemicals and stress and occupational hazards. The dataset is herewith made available and it is considered of vital usefulness given some serious policy implications of occupational health hazards among cocoa farmers. Keywords: Cocoa, Agrochemicals, Safety compliance, Occupational safety, Ghana