Analysis of farmer behavior in the management of used pesticide packaging in Karo Regency

¹ Associate Professor, Management of Agribusiness, School of Vocational Studies, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
² Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economic and Management, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
³ Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economic and Management, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
⁴ Associate Professor, Environmental Engineering and Management, School of Vocational Studies, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia
⁵ Professor, Department of Forestry Management, Faculty of Forestry and Environment, IPB University, Bogor, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Pesticides are essential chemical inputs in modern agriculture for maintaining productivity and food security. However, excessive use and improper disposal can pose serious threats to human health and the environment. This study aims to analyze farmers' behavior in managing used pesticide containers in Karo Regency using the Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) approach. The study was conducted in Raya Village, Berastagi District, Karo Regency, involving 50 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Four latent constructs were analyzed: knowledge, experience, perception, and behavior. The results showed that knowledge and experience had significant positive effects on perception, while perception positively influenced behavior in pesticide container management. The R² values were 0.628 for perception and 0.128 for behavior, indicating that knowledge and experience explain most of the variance in perception. In contrast, perception accounts for only a small portion of the variance in safe behavior. The findings suggest that although farmers have awareness of pesticide hazards, behavioral change remains limited. Continuous training on Good Pesticide Handling Practices, collection facilities at the village level, and integrated supervision is recommended to enhance safe and sustainable pesticide management.