Cross-sectional survey data from farmers and pesticide retailers in Andhra Pradesh, India

Data are from cross-sectional surveys conducted for two sample populations in Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh, India: farmers and pesticide retailers. The farmer surveys were conducted via phone interviews by trained enumerators between August and October 2020. Variables include: demographics (age, gender, educational level), cultivation patterns (farm size, crops cultivated), irrigation, input use and expenditures (fertilizer and pesticides), changes in input use over the past 4 years and reasons underlying changes, pesticide storage practices, and details on practicing of zero-budget natural farming. Pesticide retailer surveys were conducted via face-to-face interviews by trained enumerators in November 2020. Variables include: characteristics of the retailer (educational level, opening days/hours, number of full/part-time employees, years in business), products sold, top-selling products, method of selling products (at the shop or via field visits), changes in sales of fertilizer and pesticides over the past 4 years and underlying reasons, recommendations given to farmers and where retailers themselves get that information, and opinions regarding zero-budget natural farming. All data were entered into the electronic data capture software, Qualtrics (Qualtrics, Provo, UT, USA). The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Harvard University Ethics Committee (no.: IRB20-0207) and the Centre for Chronic Disease Control Ethics Committee (no.: IRB00006330). All participants provided verbal informed consent. The study was funded by the Scottish Funding Council and UK Research and Innovation.