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Assessment of Farmers’ Knowledge of Agricultural Input Expiry Management

Abstract

Agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, veterinary products, and other farm supplies are essential for effective agricultural production. Proper management of input expiry dates is important for maintaining the quality, safety, and effectiveness of these materials. Failure to identify, monitor, and properly manage expired agricultural inputs may result in reduced input effectiveness, financial losses, unsafe farm practices, and potential environmental problems. Farmers’ knowledge of agricultural input expiry management is therefore important for promoting responsible storage, use, and disposal of farm inputs. This study will assess farmers’ knowledge of agricultural input expiry management. The study will determine farmers’ level of knowledge of expiry dates, storage requirements, product identification, stock rotation, safe handling, and appropriate disposal of expired agricultural inputs. It will also identify common practices used by farmers to monitor the validity and usability of agricultural inputs before application. The study will focus on farmers’ knowledge of agricultural input expiry management, expiry-date identification, input labelling, storage conditions, stock monitoring, first-expiry-first-out practices, record keeping, product inspection, safe disposal, input quality maintenance, and risks associated with the use of expired agricultural inputs. Information will be obtained from farmers to determine their understanding of expiry management and identify areas where knowledge gaps may exist. A quantitative research approach will be adopted for the study. Data will be collected from selected farmers using structured questionnaires and appropriate observation methods. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distributions, percentages, means, and standard deviations will be used to summarize the data. Knowledge scores will be used to determine farmers’ levels of understanding of agricultural input expiry management, while relevant inferential statistical methods may be used to examine associations between farmers’ characteristics and their knowledge of expiry management practices. The study is expected to reveal varying levels of knowledge among farmers regarding agricultural input expiry management. Some farmers may demonstrate adequate knowledge of checking expiry dates, reading product labels, and maintaining appropriate storage conditions, while others may have limited knowledge of stock rotation, expiry monitoring, record keeping, and safe disposal procedures. The study may also identify specific knowledge gaps that could increase the likelihood of inappropriate use or storage of expired agricultural inputs. The study will be useful to farmers, agricultural extension agents, agricultural input suppliers, agricultural development agencies, regulatory organizations, cooperatives, researchers, and policymakers. It may provide information for developing farmer education programmes on responsible agricultural input management. The findings may also assist extension personnel in promoting proper input storage, expiry monitoring, record keeping, and disposal practices to protect farmers’ investments and support safe agricultural production. The study concludes that adequate knowledge of agricultural input expiry management is important for maintaining input quality, reducing unnecessary losses, and promoting safe agricultural practices. It is therefore recommended that agricultural extension agencies strengthen farmer education on expiry-date identification, proper storage, stock rotation, record keeping, product inspection, and safe disposal of expired agricultural inputs. Practical demonstrations and regular advisory support should also be provided to improve farmers’ knowledge and application of appropriate expiry management practices.

Keywords: Agricultural inputs, expiry management, farmers’ knowledge, expiry dates, input storage, input quality, stock management, stock rotation, product labelling, record keeping, input inspection, safe disposal, agricultural extension, farm inputs, agricultural safety.