SUMMARY
The use of pesticides is increasing rapidly and the pesticide use crisis is badly damaging the environment, the economy, and public health in Vietnam. However, the country is yet to become successful in reducing pesticide use mostly because of policy implementation and inadequate understanding of farmers. This study examined and discussed the perceptions and safety level of using pesticides by applying a widely used index of 39 indicators equivalent to 39 safety measures grouped into four categories to assess the safety behaviour of rice farmers in the central region of Vietnam. A field survey of 320 rice farmers and 12 local leaders was conducted in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue provinces. The result revealed that there exists a significant difference (p<0.001) between the perception and practices of pesticide safety measures of rice farmers in the study area. The overall score appears relatively high (4.09 and 3.89 out of 5.0 for perception and practices, respectively), indicating that farmers believe what they are doing is safe, though there are significant variations among the categories and among farmers in practicing pesticide safety measures. Regarding the farmers’ safety level, it was observed that there are still 18.1% and 34.4% of rice farmers are under unsafe and potentially unsafe conditions, respectively. Hence, an effective extension and communication program regarding the management and safety use of pesticides is the most vital policy solution to protect the rice farmers from potential health risks and ensure the sustainability of agriculture.