Farmers' Knowledge, Pesticide Use Practices, Exposure Risk, and Pesticide Pressure in Sesame Production Systems in Fara, Burkina Faso

Background: Sesame production is a key contributor to rural livelihoods and export income in Burkina Faso, but is increasingly threatened by pests and widespread pesticide use. However, limited empirical data on pesticide practices and treatment intensity hinder efforts to promote safer and more sustainable crop protection strategies. Aims: The study aims to describe farmers’ knowledge and pesticide use practices and to quantify pesticides pressure using the treatment Frequency Index (TFI, Indice de Fréquence de Traitement, IFT) among sesame producers in Fara, Burkina Faso. Study Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted among sesame farmers based on a structured questionnaire and detailed records of pesticide applications. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in five localities of Fara Department (Balé province, western Burkina Faso) during one sesame growing season. Methodology: A total of 34 sesame farmers were interviewed to collect information on their sociodemographic characteristics and phytosanitary practices. Detailed pesticide application data were obtained from 15 farmers and used to calculate the TFI for 76 individual treatments. The calculated TFIs were compared with recommended reference values to assess pesticides pressure in the sesame production system. Results: Among farmers, 76.47% wore no personal protective equipment. Incineration of containers (44.12%) was the most common disposal practice, while some farmers discarded (5.88%) or buried (2.94%) leftovers. These unsafe practices were associated with a lack of training (67.65%) and a low level of formal education (29.4%). Most farmers (88.24%) reported returning to their fields the morning after spraying pesticide, that is less than 24 hours later. Four of the six listed products (66.66%) were approved by the Sahelian Pesticides Committee (CSP), while two (33.33%) had no recognised registration status. None of the pesticides recorded on the surveyed farms were specifically authorized for use on sesame crops. Overall, the field-level TFI calculated for the 15 monitored sesame fields had a mean value of 3.60 and a median of 3.15, with values ranging from 0.93 to 8.00. Most fields, 11 out of 15 (73.33%), had TFI values below the reference level, whereas 1 field (6.67%) was compliant with the reference value and 3 fields (20.00%) exceeded it. Conclusion: Overall, the findings indicate moderate pesticide use, but risky practices, underscoring the need for stronger oversight and targeted training for sesame producers.