Although pesticides are necessary inputs in cocoa production, inability of farmers to comply
with safety precautions poses significant threat to their health and sustainable cocoa production in
Cameroon. This paper analyzed the determinants of compliance with pesticide safety guideliness among
cocoa farmers. Data were collected with structured questionnaires administered to 667 cocoa farmers and
analyzed with descriptive statistics and Negative Binomial regression. The results showed that majority of
the farmers were males, with more than 10 years of farming experience. Awareness of safety precautions
in handling pesticides was high. Among the safety kits, boots were owned by 62.26% and 76.87% of the
farmers from Ngoumou and Buea, respectively. Safety compliance in the use of insecticides increased
significantly (p<0.05) with land areas, being married and compliance with manufacturers’ instructions but
reduced with farmers’ age, practice of touching it with bare hand and residence in Nogoumou (region).
However, compliance with safety while handling fungicides significantly increased with being married
but reduced with practice of touching it with bare hands. It was concluded that addressing the health risks
associated with inappropriate handling of pesticides by cocoa farmers is paramount, and educating them
on the need to follow manufacturers’ instruction is necessary.