Occupational Exposure to Pesticides and Associated Health Outcomes Among Smallholder Farmers in Borno State, North East Nigeria

Smallholder farmers in North East Nigeria increasingly rely on pesticides for crop protection, yet occupational exposure assessment and associated health outcome documentation for this population in Borno State remain scarce, particularly in post-conflict agricultural recovery contexts. This study assesses occupational pesticide exposure levels and associated health outcomes among smallholder farmers in three agricultural local government areas of Borno State. A cross-sectional analytical design is applied to 280 farmers recruited through village enumeration and systematic sampling from Konduga, Hawul, and Chibok local government areas. Exposure assessment combines structured questionnaires capturing pesticide types used, application frequency, handling practices, and protective equipment use with spot biomonitoring through cholinesterase activity measurement in a sub-sample of 120 participants. Health outcomes including neurological symptoms, dermatological complaints, respiratory symptoms, and reproductive health concerns are assessed through standardised clinical questionnaires and physician-reviewed symptom inventories. SPSS is used for analysis, with logistic regression identifying health outcome predictors. Available literature from West African agricultural communities consistently identifies organophosphate-based pesticides as the dominant exposure with neurological symptom associations. The Epidemiological Triad and Pesticide Risk Assessment frameworks guide the study's analytical approach. Findings will support the Borno State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in integrating occupational health components into agricultural extension services. Keywords: pesticide exposure, occupational health, smallholder farmers, Borno State, North East Nigeria.