Use of Model Farmers Proves Effective in Increasing Safety Practices Among Navajo Agricultural Workers

A Story of Impact :

Covering 27,000 square miles in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, the Navajo Nation, geographically, is the largest American Indian reservation in the U.S.7 Within the Navajo Nation, many use farming for personal means including food, business, and trade. Of the greater than 12,000 acres of irrigable land, fewer than 5,000 acres are being farmed due to water shortages and financial strain.⁵ In order to increase the yield potential of the land being used, the use of pesticides and growth agents is vital. A study by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation found that agricultural workers represented 93% of pesticide poisoning cases from 1998–2001.⁶

The Southwest Center for Agricultural Health, Injury Prevention and Education—funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)—addressed these important topics with its Model Farmer Dissemination Project from 2006–2011. This research was developed by Dr. Deborah Helitzer—a researcher from the University of New Mexico—in collaboration with cooperative extension services from the University of Arizona and New Mexico University; the Navajo Nation Departments of Health, Agriculture, and Environmental Health; the Indian Health Service; and the Navajo Nation Farm Board, Water Board, and Human Research Review Board. This intervention specifically targeted pesticide safety and education for handling chemicals, understanding their uses, interpreting labels, proper procedures for applying pesticides, and general knowledge about how to use integrated pest management (IPM) to increase overall agricultural yield. "Model Farmers"—those viewed as trusted community members—were trained by agricultural extension agents to provide hands-on learning experiences to community farmers.