Just found this Blog that Ive written 5 years ago and feel that it should be shared with those concern about the pesticide use in Cambodia :-( Pesticide use in Cambodia When you buy fruit or vegetables from the market, have you ever wondered if this product is safe to eat? And does it contain any harmful element? Well, some of you may say YES and some may say No, NEVER. Okay now whether you have thought about it or not the below text may more or less give you the answer. The actual fact of the production of chemical pesticides is killing pests and curing diseases which attack our crops so what is the matter then? The problem is “the misuse” by farmers. There are four main reasons behind this misuse: 1. Farmers cannot read the label: there is no pesticide factory in Cambodia so all of them are manufactured in other countries especially in Thailand and Vietnam before throwing to Cambodia, which serves as a big rubbish bin for chemical wastes. The signs on the pesticide bottles or packages are mostly written in foreign languages and very few were translated to Khmer. Farmers were not taught to read the instruction regardless of the language written on the bottles or packages. The main source of information is the retailers, who also could hardly read the labels but acting as instructors. 2. Resistant of pest and disease: after such a long time of improper use, pest and disease appear to have increased in the field. So farmers assume that the product that they have applied does not work. Without finding the root of the issue, farmers deliberately increase the dose or use a stronger pesticide than before. 3. Cost and availability: several studies reported by various NGOs showed that the most popular pesticides being used are those forbidden by World Health Organisation (WHO). There are 14 active compounds that are banned or restrict-use by WHO but available in Cambodia (Environmental Justice Foundation, 2002). These pesticides are methyl-parathion (Trade name Folidol) and Mevinphos (Trade name Mevinphos or Phosdrin). One bottle of Folidol or Mevinphos cost about 1-2 USD only. Some farmers suggested that these are good pesticides because caterpillars or other insects will died immediately after the spray unlike other recommended pesticides (Bacillus Thurigiensis) which are more expensive and insects still moving after touching with the spray. 4. No schedule and mixing different compounds: farmers rarely have application schedule, they spray whenever there are present of pests or disease in the field regardless of crop growing stages (e.g: harvesting time). In addition, a few days after the application of pesticide, farmers may decide to have another stronger application if the amount of pests does not reduce. Stronger application in their senses mean increase the dose or mixing various compounds (2-3 different trade names) together. Problems, problems and more problems, who is responsible for these problems and how are we going to solve it? Personally I have some recommendations to the government particularly to Bureau of Agricultural Material standard (BAMS) of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries and the producers as well as the consumers. Firstly to BAMS, I think BAMS should put more intervention on the translation of all pesticides labels into Khmer and educate the pesticide retailers about basic knowledge of Safe Use of Pesticide. On the other hand, I would recommend BAMS to follow the WHO legislation and also Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) as a country of signatory of the Stockholm Convention banning POP. Secondly to the producers, I would encourage you to use all the local resources like the green leaf and animal manures to improve the soil fertility, and learn to produce the healthy seedlings because healthy seedlings produces healthy plants which are pest and disease resistant. Furthermore, you can try to use as much as possible of the botanical pesticides from the plants around your house like lemongrass, chilli and neem tree etc. Be aware that pesticide will affect your heath first before your family and the consumers of your products. Last but not least, I know you all are scared by going through the above paragraphs. Yet you can’t avoid eating vegetables and fruit and neither can I, so what shall we do then? Let’s stop eating local products and choosing the import one instead? Well, this is also not a good idea. I have made study visits to our neighbouring countries. According to my observation, farmers in our neighbouring countries have actually scheduled the pesticide applications for their crops. However, the applications were scheduled too often (every 3-5 days) and perhaps more than necessary. They still also apply pesticide at harvesting time and also at postharvest to keep products long-self-life and fresh. It seems that we are living in a fancy chemical society and there is no way that we can stay away from consuming contaminated veggies and fruits. However, I have a message that you may find it is helpful, before eating or cooking you should always keep the vegetables or fruits in the solution of water with lime juice or salt for about 15 minutes. It can’t wash out 100% of the dangerous products but could partly cut them down. Healthy Products! Healthy People! Healthy Society!
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 08:14:34 +0000