Determinants of pesticide use and food safety awareness in a dryland vegetable system in Burao Somaliland using an exploratory value chain approach.

The intensification of vegetable production under rising pest pressure has increased reliance on pesticides, raising health concerns in settings with limited regulatory oversight such as Somaliland. Empirical evidence linking determinants of pesticide use with consumer food safety awareness within the same food system remains limited. This exploratory cross-sectional study surveyed 100 vegetable farmers and 50 consumers in Burao using structured interviews. Pesticide use was analysed using logistic regression and Bayesian modelling, while consumer data were analysed descriptively. Higher education showed a weak negative association with pesticide use (posterior mean = - 0.84; 95% CrI: - 1.74 to 0.07), and access to agricultural extension showed a negative association (posterior mean = - 1.74; 95% CrI: - 3.93 to - 0.00), with estimates characterised by imprecision consistent with the limited number of pesticide-use cases. Consumers demonstrated moderate knowledge of pesticide-related risks (mean = 3.08/5) but relatively high concern (mean VAS = 5.38 cm). Education and income were associated with variation in knowledge and concern. Most consumers relied on informal markets (74%) and reported limited access to food safety information (86%). These findings highlight a gap between perceived risk and actionable understanding and underscore the role of informational and structural conditions across the value chain. Strengthening extension services, improving pesticide safety communication, and enhancing food safety awareness represent key entry points, although evidence remains preliminary given the small, exploratory sample. Future research should expand sample sizes, incorporate broader safety indicators, integrate WHO hazard classifications, and examine the feasibility of integrated pest management in semi-arid smallholder systems.