FROM FIELDS TO HEADLINES: MEDIA NARRATIVES OF FARMING, PESTICIDE EXPOSURE, AND RURAL HEALTH IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Purpose: Pesticide exposure has become a widespread public health concern in Pakistan’s farming communities, yet media representation of this issue remains underexplored. This study investigates how Pakistani news media construct narratives surrounding pesticide use, farming practices, and rural health to understand the visibility, framing, and agenda-setting dynamics that shape public discourse.

Methods: Using qualitative content and framing analysis, 120 news articles published between 2019 and 2023 in four major national newspapers (Dawn, The News, Express Tribune, and Jang) were examined. Articles were coded deductively and inductively based on Entman’s framing model. Frames related to problem definition, causal interpretation, moral evaluation, and treatment recommendations were analyzed, alongside source representation and episodic versus thematic framing styles. Intercoder reliability was established through Cohen’s Kappa (κ = .81).

Results: Findings reveal that pesticide-related health issues receive limited and inconsistent media visibility and are predominantly framed through economic and productivity perspectives (42%), with public health frames comprising only 24% of coverage. Most articles relied on episodic rather than thematic framing (76%), emphasizing isolated poisoning incidents while overlooking structural causes and chronic health effects. Government and expert voices dominated news sourcing, whereas farmers, rural laborers, women, and children were significantly underrepresented. Policy accountability and environmental justice concerns appeared infrequently.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates a substantial gap between scientific evidence and media narratives, contributing to the social invisibility of pesticide-related health risks in Pakistan. The findings emphasize the need for stronger environmental journalism, enhanced thematic reporting, and the inclusion of marginalized rural perspectives to support equitable health and agricultural policy development.