PESTICIDES IN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
by: Sim A. CuysonPaper presented during38th Annual Scientific Conference20-23 March 2007Bohol Tropics ResortTagbilaran City, Bohol
NEGATIVE PERCEPTIONS
• Negative articles > positive by 40:1
• Pesticide risks tend to be overestimated
• People are generally sensitive to health and food issues
We make risk-benefit decisionsthroughout our lives
• Paracetamol is one of the most common analgesic drugs used worldwide. Yet it is three times more toxic than the herbicide glyphosate. We accept the risks of people misusing paracetamol due to the convenience of such easy access to pain relief.
• Caffeine is relatively lethal, yet most people including coffee drinkers are not aware that there is a 50% chance that 15 grams of caffeine would kill a grown up person. There is no warning prescribed on the label.
CHEMICAL ORAL LD50 TO RATS(mg/kg body weight)
Nicotine 50
Caffeine 200
Aspirin 1750
Paracetamol 1205
Table Salt 3000
DDT (Insecticide) 115
Methyl parathion (Insecticide) 6-50
Metamidophos (Insecticide) 10-50
Chlorpyrifos (Insecticide) 100-300
Cypermethrin (Insecticide) 250-4125
TABLE 1– COMPARATIVE TOXICITY OF SOME CHEMICALS
CHEMICAL ORAL LD50 TO RATS(mg/kg body weight)
Niclosamide (Moluscicide) 3552
Glyphosate (Herbicide) >5000
Mancozeb (Fungicide) >5000
Spinosad (Insecticide) >5000
Fenoxaprop (Insecticide) >4400
Cyromazine (Insecticide) >4460
Tebuconazole (Fungicide) 4865
Imidacloprid (Insecticide) >4840
Glufosinate Ammonium (Herbicide)
3570
Tebufenozide (Insecticide) >5000
PRIMARY BENEFITS SECONDARY BENEFITS
AGRIC PRODUCEImproved yields,
Quality,Appearance,safety, and
shelf lifeVibrant Retailer networks
FARMING COMMUNITIESFarm revenues, Nutrition and health,
Food safety and security,Wider range of viable crops,Better quality of life, longer
life expectancy;Labor freed for other tasks
ENERGY NEEDSReduced drudgeryand fuel used for
weeding, andreduced soildisturbance
NATIONALAgricultural economy,
Food safety and security,Export revenues,
Nutrition and health,Human productivity,Reduced soil erosion,
and moisture loss,Fewer moves to cities
PREVENTING PROBLEMS
Reduced pestEpidemics;
Pests contained geographically; Invasive species
controlled
GLOBAL
Assures safe food supply,Diverse produce,Less pressure onuncropped land,
less greenhouse gas,fewer pest introductions,
Biodiversity conserved
Fig.1 – Benefits From The Use of Pesticides To Control Plant Pests (Insects, Diseases, and Weeds) and Vectors of Plant Diseases (Cooper and Dobson, 2006)
Benefits From Control of Crop /Agricultural Pests
• Pests cost developing countries billions of dollars in national income (FAO, 2004)
• Farm and post harvest losses contribute to hunger and malnutrition in many of these countries
The Rice Yield Gap- Production Constraints*
*101 Facts about rice in the Phil. BV Tolentino, et al
Insect Pest & Diseases 35%
Weeds 9%
Poor Water Management 26%
Poor Seed & Seed Management 9%
Improper Fertilizer & Soil Mgt. 21%
Some Major Local Benefits• Weed control in direct
seeded rice• Control of golden apple
snail, an invasive specie• Black Sigatoka control in
cavendish banana• Control of mango insect
pests and diseases• Economic production of
vegetable crops
• Control of corn borers and other pests reduces aflatoxin development
• Herbicides in zero/minimum tillage help reduce soil erosion specially in sloping land.
PRIMARY BENEFITSSECONDARY BENEFITS
Fig. 2 – Benefits From Use Of Pesticides To Control Human and Livestock Disease Vectors and Nuisance Organisms (Cooper and Dobson, 2006)
PEOPLE
Lives saved,suffering reduced,
disturbance reduced
LIVESTOCK
Animals saved,suffering reduced,increased yield, increased quality
PREVENTING PROBLEMS
Reduced diseaseepidemics,Diseases contained
geographically
RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES
Life expectancy,quality of life,
nutrition and health,food safety/security,
individual productivityreduced vet/medicine costs,
livestock revenues
NATIONAL
Rural and urban economy,national productivity,
habitable areas increased,fewer move to cities,
export livestock revenues,tourism revenues
GLOBALInternational markets,reduced internationalspread of diseases,
safe livestock imports,habitable areas increase
Public Health Benefits from Control of Human and Livestock Disease Vectors and Nuisance Organisms
• Malaria kills 5,000 daily worldwide (Ross, 2005); Still present in 60 provinces, most serious in Palawan;Use of insecticide treated mosquito nets
• Dengue mosquitos controlled through localized spraying and fogging
• Nuisance pests such as flies and mosquitos could have severe impact on tourism if not controlled
• Control of vectors of livestock diseases and ectoparasites results in healthy and productive livestock and poultry
Benefits From Control of Structural Pests and Organisms that Harm Other Human Activities
PRIMARY BENEFITS SECONDARY BENEFITS
Fig. 3 – Benefits from use of Pesticides To Prevent or Control Organism That Harm Structures and Other Human Activities
TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
Views unobstructed,Vegetation hazards
Prevented,Roots/damp damage
reduced
RURAL AND URBANCOMMUNITIES
Transport safety,Improved health and fitness,
Improved amenitiesQuality of life
Reduced stress,Reduced maintenance costs
SPORT AND RECREATION
Turf pests controlled,garden and
ornamental pestscontrolled
NATIONAL
Quality of life improved,Pleasant urban areas,
Tourism revenueMaintenance costs reduced
BUILTENVIRONMENT
Wood protected,other materials
protected including paint, plastic, paper, masonry, leather and
adhesives
GLOBAL
Shade trees reduceGlobal warning,
Timber remains a viable building material
• Termite control
• Roach and Rat Control
Benefits from Control of Structural Pests and Organisms that Harm Other Human Activities
• Herbicides used in maintenance of transport systems (roads, railways, waterways)
• Maintenance of sports and recreational grounds, golf courses, and domestic gardens
Concern about food safety (residues) driving the demandNiche marketLower yields, so production highly dependent on premium priceDifficult to assure quantity, quality, appearance, esp. for export marketDoubtful if it can sustain world’s growing population (Oerke, 2004)
Organic agriculture ??
1. Research and development
2. Integrated Crop Management approach incorporating integrated pest management strategies, together with other stakeholders
3. Strict product life cycle approach to Stewardship (Adherence to FAO Code of Conduct, Safe Use, GAP, Storage & Transport, Emergency Response, Environmental Management)
Industry’s Role in Sustainable Agriculture
INITIATIVES OFCROPLIFE MEMBER
COMPANIES
1.BIGAS stands for Bayer CropScience Integrated Environmental Gains Along The Supply Chain For Sustainable Agriculture
RM/PMCrop Protection
ProductsDistributors Farmers Rice Demo Plots
Increased Yields/ROI
Environmental Management System (BS8555)Environmental Performance Indicators
Environmental Management Accounting
ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL ECONOMY
SUPPLIERSFORWARDERS
PACKAGE OFTECHNOLOGY
Legal requirementsCleaner production
Environmental protection
Energy conservation
Resource conservationWater conservation
Waste management3R’s reduce reuse recycle
Etc…
Transport safetyStorage/
Good housekeepingSpill management
Obsolete stocks mgt.Containment/encatchment
Etc….
Emergency responseContainer management
Sustainable Agriculture
Integrated Crop/ PestManagement
Judicious useSafe use
Pre-harvest intervalTriple rinsing of containers
Container disposalWaste Management
straw/rice hullEtc…..
Palay Check
Project Matrix
Clean transport
2.Health and Safety of the Children as a Vital Component of Sustainable Agriculture in Benguet
• Project in partnership with Helen Keller International in Wao and Saguiran, Lanao Del Sur.
• Addressing nutrition problem
• Growing of nutritious crops/fruits
• Nutrition Education
SAGIP-LUPA, a Soil Conservation Project in partnership with UP consultants
Zero/Minimum Tillage system to reduce soil erosion in sloping land
Project sites:
• Banana Plantation in Davao City
• Marginal corn farmers Lantacan Lancare Farmers Association in Bukidnon
• Six sites in Luzon
““Humanity in the 21st century can banish Humanity in the 21st century can banish hunger, end nutritional deficits in children, hunger, end nutritional deficits in children, and save virtually all of the remaining wild and save virtually all of the remaining wild lands in the process. But there are only two lands in the process. But there are only two ways to do it: either murder four billion ways to do it: either murder four billion people, or use chemicals and biotechnology people, or use chemicals and biotechnology to maintain and increase yields on land to maintain and increase yields on land already under farming” already under farming”
Dennis Avery, Director of the Centre for Global Food Issues, Hudson Institute, US, 2000
““If pesticides were abolished, the lives saved If pesticides were abolished, the lives saved would be outnumbered by a factor of around would be outnumbered by a factor of around 1,000 by the lives lost due to poorer diets. 1,000 by the lives lost due to poorer diets. Secondary penalties would be massive Secondary penalties would be massive environmental damage due to the land needs environmental damage due to the land needs of less productive farming, and a financial of less productive farming, and a financial cost of around 20 billion US dollar”cost of around 20 billion US dollar”
Bjorn Lomborg, The Skeptical Environmentalist, Cambridge U. Press, 2000
Global Poverty poses the biggest Global Poverty poses the biggest threat to the environment. We need threat to the environment. We need chemicals to produce food, medicine chemicals to produce food, medicine and shelter. However, we need to look and shelter. However, we need to look for signals for possible adverse effects for signals for possible adverse effects of chemicals in order to mitigate and of chemicals in order to mitigate and manage those potential threats”manage those potential threats”
(Dr. Klaus Topfer, Director General of UNEP, April 2002)
DAGHANG SALAMAT GID!!!