Pesticide use goes down, but hazard remains

Injudicious use of pesticides still poses health and environmental risks, even though their use by farmers is decreasing by the year, say agriculturists. Lack of awareness and training is hampering the proper use of pesticides and also preventing farmers from getting the desired results in their produce, they feel.
Some of the farmers this correspondent spoke to argued that sometimes pesticides do not seem to work and they have to use an overdose to save their crops. They admitted that many of them apply pesticides on vegetables like cabbages and brinjals even a few hours before bringing those to the market.
However, agriculturists pointed out that an overdose of pesticides creates resistance among insects. Instead of killing those pests, it kills innocuous insects, causing environmental and health hazards.
Entomologists said excessive use of pesticides is killing different types of insects that are needed to maintain environmental balance. When one group of insects is destroyed, the food chain is naturally affected.
Entomologist Arifur Rahman Shahin of the Plant Protection Wing of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said, “Pesticides have an impact on insects. If insects die due to an overdose, it has a negative impact on the environment as upper-group animals depend on lower-group animals on the food chain.”
Maruf Hossain, a farmer from Ranisankail upazila of Thakurgaon district, told The Independent that farmers prefer indiscriminate application of pesticides owing to lack of proper knowledge.
“Most farmers don't know the proper dose of pesticides. So, they apply an overdose, which kills both harmful and friendly insects,” he said.
“Most farmers go to nearby shops to buy pesticides, and the shopkeepers persuade them to buy whatever they want to sell. Some farmers even buy pesticides on credit. The shopkeepers then force them to buy low-quality pesticides,” he revealed.
Mohammad Halim, a farmer of Haripur upazila of Thakurgaon district, complained, “Farmers mostly don’t get any proper training from the government. As a result, they spray excessive pesticides on their crops.”
SM Fazlul Karim Sani, deputy director (pesticide administrator) of the Plant Protection Wing of DAE, however, blamed the farmers for not reading the instructions of use written on the pesticide bottles. “That is why they use excessive pesticides,” he claimed.
Asked about the reason behind the decreasing use of pesticides, Sani said, “Increased awareness, motivation, use of bio-pesticides, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) activities and training are helping  to reduce the use of pesticides.”
“We'll see a further decrease in the use

of pesticides. At present, 11 companies are supplying bio-pesticides, which are environment-friendly and not injurious to health,” he added.
According to the Plant Protection Wing of the DAE, the consumption of pesticides in the country was 48,690.19 tonnes in 2008, while it came down to 39,253.22 tonnes in 2014 and 35,523 tonnes in 2015.
In 2009, pesticide consumption was 45,172.43 tonnes, while it was 42,240.56 tonnes in 2010, 44,423.33 tonnes in 2010, 41,145.74 tonnes in 2011, 41,145.74 tonnes in 2012 and 41,607.70 tonnes in 2013. So, it has been more or less steadily decreasing.
The cost of pesticides was over Tk. 828 crore in 2008, while it came down to Tk. 639 crore in 2015, sources said. However, the consumption of power insecticides, miticide, fungicide, and rodenticide is still quite high, they added.
According to the Bangladesh Crop Protection Association (BCPA), which is the representative of 200 pesticide companies in the country, some 250 firms are involved in the import and marketing of about 37,000 tonnes of pesticides annually. BCPA sources argued that the loss of crops due to pests is around 22–25 per cent, which is equivalent to the food consumed in the country in three or four months.
According to the DAE, too, the loss of rice produce on account of pests is around 16 per cent, while that of vegetables is 25 per cent. The outbreak of new insects and diseases is also increasing due to the impact of climate change.
“Companies are importing and marketing pesticides that are not harmful to human health and the environment. All chemicals are harmful; so, we have to pay attention to the import of the right product,” said AHM Sadrul Alam, former vice-chairman of the BCPA.
“There is a lack of training and awareness among farmers regarding the application of pesticides. Agriculture should be included in textbooks,” he added. Alam, who is also the proprietor of Ankur Traders, pointed to the need to monitor unscrupulous people who are involved in dealing with substandard pesticides.
He argued that the country would be unable to achieve self-sufficiency in food without the use of pesticides. “However, it should be used in a judicious way to avoid health hazards and environmental pollution,” he observed.
“The rate of killing insects is decreasing with increasing awareness among farmers. They are practising IPM without using pesticides. But they have to use pesticides when it is necessary to save crops,” said Arifur Rahman Shahin.

 

Pesticide use goes down, but hazard remains

Injudicious use of pesticides still poses health and environmental risks, even though their use by farmers is decreasing by the year, say agriculturists. Lack of awareness and training is hampering the proper use of pesticides and also preventing farmers from getting the desired results in their produce, they feel. Some of the farmers this correspondent spoke to argued that sometimes pesticides do not seem to work and they have to use an overdose to save their crops. They admitted that many of them apply pesticides on vegetables like cabbages and brinjals even a few hours before bringing those to the market. However, agriculturists pointed out that an overdose of pesticides creates resistance among insects. Instead of killing those pests, it kills innocuous insects, causing environmental and health hazards. Entomologists said excessive use of pesticides is killing different types of insects that are needed to maintain environmental balance. When one group of insects is destroyed, the food chain is naturally affected. Entomologist Arifur Rahman Shahin of the Plant Protection Wing of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) said, Pesticides have an impact on insects. If insects die due to an overdose, it has a negative impact on the environment as upper-group animals depend on lower-group animals on the food chain. Maruf Hossain, a farmer from Ranisankail upazila of Thakurgaon district, told The Independent that farmers prefer indiscriminate application of pesticides owing to lack of proper knowledge. Most farmers dont know the proper dose of pesticides. So, they apply an overdose, which kills both harmful and friendly insects, he said. Most farmers go to nearby shops to buy pesticides, and the shopkeepers persuade them to buy whatever they want to sell. Some farmers even buy pesticides on credit. The shopkeepers then force them to buy low-quality pesticides, he revealed. Mohammad Halim, a farmer of Haripur upazila of Thakurgaon district, complained, Farmers mostly dont get any proper training from the government. As a result, they spray excessive pesticides on their crops. SM Fazlul Karim Sani, deputy director (pesticide administrator) of the Plant Protection Wing of DAE, however, blamed the farmers for not reading the instructions of use written on the pesticide bottles. That is why they use excessive pesticides, he claimed. Asked about the reason behind the decreasing use of pesticides, Sani said, Increased awareness, motivation, use of bio-pesticides, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) activities and training are helping to reduce the use of pesticides. Well see a further decrease in the use of pesticides. At present, 11 companies are supplying bio-pesticides, which are environment-friendly and not injurious to health, he added. According to the Plant Protection Wing of the DAE, the consumption of pesticides in the country was 48,690.19 tonnes in 2008, while it came down to 39,253.22 tonnes in 2014 and 35,523 tonnes in 2015. In 2009, pesticide consumption was 45,172.43 tonnes, while it was 42,240.56 tonnes in 2010, 44,423.33 tonnes in 2010, 41,145.74 tonnes in 2011, 41,145.74 tonnes in 2012 and 41,607.70 tonnes in 2013. So, it has been more or less steadily decreasing. The cost of pesticides was over Tk. 828 crore in 2008, while it came down to Tk. 639 crore in 2015, sources said. However, the consumption of power insecticides, miticide, fungicide, and rodenticide is still quite high, they added. According to the Bangladesh Crop Protection Association (BCPA), which is the representative of 200 pesticide companies in the country, some 250 firms are involved in the import and marketing of about 37,000 tonnes of pesticides annually. BCPA sources argued that the loss of crops due to pests is around 2225 per cent, which is equivalent to the food consumed in the country in three or four months. According to the DAE, too, the loss of rice produce on account of pests is around 16 per cent, while that of vegetables is 25 per cent. The outbreak of new insects and diseases is also increasing due to the impact of climate change. Companies are importing and marketing pesticides that are not harmful to human health and the environment. All chemicals are harmful; so, we have to pay attention to the import of the right product, said AHM Sadrul Alam, former vice-chairman of the BCPA. There is a lack of training and awareness among farmers regarding the application of pesticides. Agriculture should be included in textbooks, he added. Alam, who is also the proprietor of Ankur Traders, pointed to the need to monitor unscrupulous people who are involved in dealing with substandard pesticides. He argued that the country would be unable to achieve self-sufficiency in food without the use of pesticides. However, it should be used in a judicious way to avoid health hazards and environmental pollution, he observed. The rate of killing insects is decreasing with increasing awareness among farmers. They are practising IPM without using pesticides. But they have to use pesticides when it is necessary to save crops, said Arifur Rahman Shahin.