Occurrence of Pesticide Residues and Dietary Exposure Assessment in Vegetables from Senegal’s Niayes Horticultural Zone

Small-scale horticulture plays a major role in food security in Senegal, particularly in ensuring the supply of vegetables to local populations. The Niayes area represents one of the country’s main horticultural production zones owing to its favourable agroclimatic conditions. However, inadequate pesticide management and poor compliance with good agricultural practices may compromise the sanitary quality of horticultural products and increase consumer exposure to chemical hazards. This study aimed to assess farmers’ agricultural practices, determine pesticide residue levels in vegetables, and evaluate associated dietary risks. A field survey was conducted among 331 vegetable producers using the Wyckhuys and O’Neil approach. At the same time, 90 composite vegetable samples were tested for residues of 20 active pesticide ingredients using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Of these substances, 19 were detected in at least one sample.