Pesticide use up six times in six decades

Use of pesticides in agriculture has increased six times in six decades (from 1954 to 2010) compared to the previous six decades, said speakers at a press conference yesterday.

A vegetable farmer in Bangladesh uses pesticides about 150 times in a single session, said Ferdaus Ara Rumee, policy research and campaign coordinator of EquityBD.

The National Observation Committee on International Rural Women Day, a countrywide network of rights groups, organised the event in the capital's Jatiya Press Club on "Pesticides and Health Risk: Find Alternatives and Save the Lives of Rural Women".

Ferdaus Ara mentioned that only four percent of the farmers are aware of how to use pesticides while 87 percent farmers hardly take any steps to keep away the hazardous impacts of pesticides.

As many as 377 types of pesticides of 97 groups are being used in Bangladesh, she said, adding that most of them have already been banned in the developed countries.

Romena Akter Mahin, a member of the committee, said rural women are directly involved in pesticide handling whereas various researches suggest that exposure to excessive pesticides can cause miscarriages.

Tasmin Chowdhury, another member, said according to a US-based research, women with regular exposure to pesticides give birth to children with birth defects like low intelligence and physical disabilities.

Badrul Alam, president of Bangladesh Krishok Federation, said different studies show 30 percent of the farmers suffer from irritation, 28 percent from respiratory diseases and 13 percent from eye diseases due to exposure to pesticides.

There are several indigenous methods and local alternatives to pesticides but those need to be promoted, he said.