Pesticides
News No 61
The Journal of Pesticide Action Network UK
An international perspective on the health and
environmental effects of pesticides
Quarterly/September 2003
Special issue – Investing in IPM Farmer Field Schools
Integrated Pest Management is an important tool for sustainable agriculture. In IPM Farmer Field Schools, participants learn about their agro-ecosystem. After training, farmers can take informed decisions on pest management based on an analysis of needs. This issue of
Pesticides News aims to encourage debate and support for strategies that improve farmers livelihoods.
IPM feature
Economic costs of pesticide reliance
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Why do farmers continue to spend their scarce cash on expensive pesticides? PAN
UK’s recent research revealed the growing dependency on pesticides by African smallholder farmers, despite rapidly rising input costs.
Stephanie Williamson explores the economic costs of chemical control strategies and the benefits of investing in Integrated Pest Management training for farming communities and society.
Getting REAL in Thai schools 6
Andrew Bartlett and Marut Jatiket describe how learning activities based on the IPM ‘Farmer Field School’ approach are transforming environmental education for children in parts of Asia.
Less pests, more profit, safer vegetables
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Two years of agro-ecosystem training in vegetables in Senegal has brought big successes for smallholders.
Alpha O. Diallo, Barka Dieng and James W. Everts report on the results of the programme so far.
Farmer Field Schools – science in action
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Professor Anthony Youdeowei is a Consultant IPM Specialist, and advises African governments, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the World Bank, and other development agencies.
Barbara Dinham interviewed him on the value of Farmer Field Schools in Africa.
The farmer’s voice – welcome support for African cotton growers
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West African cotton farmers have been hard hit by low prices, high input costs and pesticide poisonings from recommended toxic products. A programme supported by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has introduced training for better pest management strategies.
Souleymane Coulibaly and Soulemane Nacro, the national coordinators in Mali and Burkina Faso, record farmers’ testimonies to the initial success.
New solutions for cowpea production in Africa
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Cowpea is a major crop for West African farmers, grown for sale and home consumption. Pesticide use on the crop has been escalating dramatically.
Braima James, Ousmane Coulibaly and Brice Gbaguidi report on changes following the Farmer Field School programme.
Farmer Field Schools in Sri Lanka: assessing the impact
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The IPM programme in Sri Lanka has a long history, but participatory IPM using the FFS approach only started in 1995. In early 2002, efforts were made to capture the impact of the project which has demonstrated measurable improvements in yields and income.
Henk van den Berg, Hector Senerath and Laksman Amarasinghe report.
Alternatives in Europe
European conference emphasises productive alternatives
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In November 2002 the Pesticide Challenge Conference, an initiative of PAN UK, proposed that comparisons should be made between chemical pesticides, biopesticides and cultural techniques to evaluate which approach offers effective control with least risk. On 23 May 2003 a conference in France considered farming techniques that reduce or eliminate the use of synthetic pesticides.
François Veillerette from the French NGO, MDRGF, reports.
Company news
Farmers unhappy with Syngenta package 19
One of the world’s largest agrochemical companies has provoked criticism for its decision to sell farmers a new seed variety with a package of pesticides. John Harvey reports.
UK policy
Strategy for pesticide use reduction in the UK 20
The UK government is preparing a national pesticides strategy, as recommended by the European Union. Both the Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD) and the Food Standards Agency are developing policies. PAN
UK believes that a commitment to reduce the use of chemical pesticides and work towards their substitution by alternative approaches must be central to any strategy.
Safer alternatives
New support for biopesticides in the UK 22
Companies producing alternatives to pesticides have faced insurmountable hurdles in obtaining registration to sell these as plant protection products. Costs charged can be comparable to those for chemical pesticides.
David Pendlington and Stephen Dickinson report on a project of the government’s Regulatory Impact Unit that promises a pilot system and could result in exciting new possibilities for marketing
biopesticides.
Pesticide review fails consumers and farmers
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A new report from Friends of the Earth and PAN UK attacks the government for failing to grasp an opportunity to find safer alternatives to chemical pesticides.
Chemical news
Crop-spraying in the UK – a chance to have your say
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The effects of nearby crop-spraying on residential and other areas and the lack of information about what farmers are spraying is a matter of great concern to PAN
UK (see PN60).
Triazines on trial – Atrazine saga continues as EPA panel confirms risks to frogs
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An EPA panel convened to assess the impact of atrazine on frogs has concluded that there is ‘sufficient evidence’ that atrazine causes sexual abnormalities in frogs.
Triazine herbicides contribute to erosion of UK salt marshes
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Recent research has shown that triazine herbicides at the sub-lethal concentrations found in Essex salt marshes may be contributing to salt marsh erosion.
Book reviews and resources 27
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New resource for schools introduces pesticide issues
PAN UK is launching an educational video for secondary schools, ‘The Pesticide Trail’. Produced in conjunction with Team Video, it presents an overview of the history, use and problems associated with pesticides.