Pesticides play an important role in the improvement of agricultural production, but their use may result in adverse effects on the environment, consumers, and farmers’ health. As there are limited data focusing on the factors influencing safety behavior toward pesticide use in Morocco, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 15 rural communities of Morocco’s Fes Meknes region to assess the attitudes, knowledge, and practices regarding pesticide use. A structured questionnaire was completed, containing the data of the interviewed farmers, their behavior towards safety measures, the type of active ingredient used, as well as the perception of risks to their own health following exposure to pesticides by the existence of chronic, self-perceived symptoms. Non-probability (empirical) sampling with the quota method was carried out, which consists of constructing the sample. Results showed that most respondents have not been trained in the application of pesticides, with almost half of the farmers using a category of pesticides which are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as probable human carcinogenic (i.e., Glyphosate, Malathion). In terms of pesticide storage, 40% of farmers said that they did not store pesticides in a separate room after purchasing or using them. The empty containers were buried or burnt by half of the responders, while the remainder were thrown at the edge of fields or in public dumps. Although the participants were aware of the negative effects on their own health and on the environment caused by the application of pesticides in use, the protection measures by individual equipment were insufficient. A canonical analysis indicates that these behaviors were influenced by the farming experience, the benefit of the agricultural council services, the follow-up of training, and the education level. These variables are important factors in explaining and understanding the dangers to both the environment and health caused by pesticides. The most recorded likely consequences of pesticide exposure were visual impairment (46%), followed by dizziness (44.3%), headache (39.4%), and excessive sweating (34.4%), and 30.2% of participants identified consequent respiratory problems. Extension services targeted at safety and protection measures should be developed and accompanied by educational programs to put farmers’ perceptions into practice and encourage them to adopt healthy and environmentally friendly behaviors.

Experimental studies have shown that various pesticides can damage kidney function, but epidemiological information on the effects of long-term low-level pesticide exposure is lacking. A study in Fez Meknes, Morocco, examined the link between 31 pesticides and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study involved 12 hemodialysis centers in various areas. Duration and frequency of use determined lifetime pesticide use, which was adjusted by an intensity factor to account for differences in pesticide application practices. The STROBE guideline was applied in the present work. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the correlations between end-stage renal disease, and the ordinal categories of lifetime pesticide use, weighted by intensity, for 31 pesticides. The study included 82 cases and 161 controls, and exposure to Glyphosate, paraquat, 2-4 D, 2-4 D+2-4 MCPA, azoxystrobin and difenoconazole demonstrated positive exposure-response trends. End-stage renal disease was significantly associated with the intensity-weighted exposure to the herbicides 2,4 D (OR = 1.005, CI: 1.003-1.007, p < 0.0001) and 2,4 D + 2,4 MCPA (OR = 1.009, CI: 1.004-1.013, p < 0.0001), and the fungicide difenoconazole (OR = 1.017, CI: 1.001-1.033, p = 0.033). These findings suggest a potential link between exposure to these pesticides and ESRD, warranting further investigation into the underlying mechanisms and the generalizability of these results to other rural populations.

Pesticide exposure gradients between occupational, para-occupational, and general populations remain poorly characterized in North African agricultural contexts. This study evaluates urinary pesticide levels among farmers, indirectly exposed individuals, and a control group in Morocco’s Fez-Meknes region. A cross-sectional survey measured pesticide concentrations using LC-MS/MS in urine samples collected from 154 adults residing in both rural and urban areas. A questionnaire was used to gather information from participants regarding factors that may elevate the risk of pesticide exposure. The results revealed that farmers exhibited the highest concentrations of pesticides in their urine, including compounds classified as Ia/Ib by the World Health Organization. Indirectly exposed individuals showed moderate levels of contamination, with notable detections such as dichlofluanid (22.13 µg/L), while the control group had residual traces of neonicotinoids, notably imidacloprid (2.05 µg/L). Multivariate analyses revealed several sociodemographic factors significantly associated with increased pesticide exposure. The main risk factors identified included low education, residence in an agricultural area, and the consumption of untreated water (wells/rivers). Conversely, wearing personal protective equipment was associated with reduced urinary concentrations. This study highlights intense occupational exposure among farmers, secondary environmental contamination among residents living near treated areas, and the widespread dispersion of pesticide residues into urban areas.