close
Tuesday March 19, 2024

Improper use of pesticides poisoning humans, wildlife

By Jan Khaskheli
March 10, 2017

HYDERABAD: Manufacturers, dealers, agriculturists and researchers believe that human deaths and loss of wildlife related to use of pesticides in agriculture occurs because a majority of the farmers and agriculture workers, due to illiteracy, fail to follow written precautionary instructions.

This was the crux of the discussion during a training workshop on safe use of pesticides, jointly organised by the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam and Bayer Crop Science on Thursday.

The participants also included university graduates and teachers, who exchanged knowledge about the process from manufacturing, packing, handling, warehousing and transportation, to the field.

They agreed that increasing attacks by insects and diseases on crops and the way climate change has created issues for growers, pesticides have become unavoidable. Therefore, personal protection when handling pesticides is a must.

Researchers, academia, dealers, and environmentalists do not have exact data about the death toll, ecological damage, poisoning of water sources, soil contamination levels, wildlife and marine species loss in Sindh. However, it has been observed that a number of bird species, useful insects, reptiles, and small mammals have either become extinct from the local environment or are vulnerable and are fighting for survival.

The vulnerable bird species include partridges, both brown and black, parrots, doves, sparrows, cuckoos, and myna, which are now rarely witnessed in protected areas. Many loved insects like butterflies, firefly and cicada are also no more as common as they were 10-15 years back in Sindh.

Environmentalists and academics pointed out that common wildlife species and birds move to crops as natural feeding grounds, where they eat dead insects and poisonous feed, including vegetation. Partridges have been the most affected species due to eating dead poisoned insects.

It was discussed at the forum that unaware farmers in many irrigated areas spray pesticides on seeds of wheat and other grain before sowing, and as a result flocks of birds die instantly when they the grains from the field.

According to agriculture officials, there are 265 pesticide companies registered with the province of Sindh. Out of a few multinational companies, most local firms neither have a proper mechanism for packing, transportation, and warehousing, nor do they have any awareness mechanism to avoid the losses. “These companies are playing havoc with the environment due to lack of any monitoring mechanism.”

Kahlid Latif of Bayer Pakistan gave a comprehensive presentation on 'safe agriculture practices', and said, “We have to use these pesticides carefully to avoid health risks. It has been witnessed that farmers even mistakenly taste and smell the poisonous product before spraying in fields.” It is dangerous and harmful for health, he added.

Leaflets show how farmers should protect themselves from the harmful effects of the pesticides by wearing gloves, protective clothing to avoid skin contamination, and wear glasses to keep the eyes safe, but due to lack of awareness, they fail to apply these precautionary measures, Latif said.

Every dealer is duty-bound to provide leaflet to buyers with prescribed methods to use before or after and stay safe. But the issues of human and environmental losses are coming to surface, creating problems because of lack of awareness and gaps in understanding, the participants of the workshop said.

Many farmers also wash containers, bottles and clothing bags of chemicals in surface water, canals, streams and ponds, this contaminates the water supply. Some of them reuse these used bottles, containers, and clothing bags to store food items.

These things, the participants said, were happening due to a lack of awareness and literacy. There is a need to train the farmers and agriculture workers in safe use of pesticides to protect not only their health but also the environment. They should learn to cover their body, skin, mouth, wear masks to cover their mouth and nose, and goggles to protect their eyes.

Dr Masood Ahmed Rustamani, dean, crop production, advised the companies to conduct awareness raising seminars on the fields, and also asked SAU to extend support in this regard through their faculty and students for knowledge enhancement of the communities.

“Farmers are still unaware about adopting the precautionary measures, and without safe handling of pesticides, the chemicals will continue to play havoc in Sindh,” he said, and added the issue also needs to be addressed through proper research and development programmes.

Prof Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, director, university advancement and financial assistance, SAU, emphasised the need to create awareness among women, who were vulnerable to pesticides in the fields. Sometimes, women who work in the fields, leave their minor children close to warehouses where chemicals are stored, this also results in increasing fatality among children.