Local Natural concern

Student projects

1. What crops are cultivated in our region? In our region the following crops are cultivated: Corn, sunflower, alfalfa, cotton and sugar beet.

Sure it is, because without the fertilizers and pesticides we will not have production. This is precisely their necessity regardless of their toxicity.

2. Is the use of pesticides and fertilizer necessary on these crops? What is the need of them?

3. Which are the measures to protect farmers, in relation to the environment and to consumers?

Τhe producers have now come to realize that the pesticides

cause damage and they try to use milder fertilizers in their fields after having discussed first with local agronomists and they take protection measures for themselves, as wearing gloves, masks and special uniforms trying to diminish sprays and generally follow the advice of agronomists ” faithfully”.

4. Are you aware of the toxic activity of these fertilizers that you use?

We can not know exactly the toxicity. We know that is toxic and causes damage to peoples’ health but we do not know to what extent. So we try to use fertilizers that are milder to the environment and generally cause less damage. We can not know the specific toxicity caused. In any case you see that experts allow the use of a fertilizer and after a few years it is withdrawn, because it is harmful to our health.

5. Do you know the way of these substances on the environment?

We just know that after a few years some fertilizers penetrate the aquifer and pollute eg. the water as here in our region but also all over the plain of Serres. The problem is that the surface waters, namely drilling of small and great depths have contaminated waters.

6. Do you learn the proper use of pesticides?

We are as much as possible informed by local agronomists and recently we have attended seminars and we have obtained certification to use these pesticides and to handle the spraying equipment that is necessary to spray. We generally believe that with proper use a good job will be achieved.

7. Do you feel sensitive to the environment as a heritage that you will leave to future generations?

Most people do. But there are also the “unscrupulous”. But we are aware and we show this by reducing the amount of pesticides. We are trying to ameliorate the use of fertilizers but unfortunately it is impossible to avoid them because without them we will not have production.

8. Would you like to try organic farming? What is your opinion?

I and other farmers are interested. But this is hard to be achieved, because there is no infrastructure, it is not possible to be paid for the work that you will do to produce these products. Currently we are at a low level and we do not know what will happen in the future. However some farmers who practice organic farming , can’t sell the products they have produced at the price that they must be sold because they don’t use fertilizers: as a result production is low and they need to sell more expensive because there is no profit. But there is a chain because if we produce organically then the breeders should feed their animals with organic food. However all this is quite difficult. Nevertheless we are interested.

9. Do you feel satisfied as to the quality of the products that you produce?

We produce quality products, the climate in Greece” produce” quality products and producers contribute to this in taking care of their products. They have acquired new, sophisticated equipment, so we have a good result with quality products.

10. Where you thought to be due the reduction of the quality of products in recent years?

I do not think that the quality of the products has decreased but the opposite it has increased, because in the past farmers and agriculturists were not as updated. Now farmers are constantly updated, especially through the internet. Milder pesticides are used. I believe that we are in right direction. However it is best to eat something sprayed rather than something rotten eg an apple because if it is rotten it creates toxins which are very harmful to humans.

ΕΒΕΛΙΝΑ ΤΣΙΝΤΖΙΡΑ ΜΑΡΙΑ ΠΕΤΡΟΥ

Maria Petrou Evelina Tzinzira

class B΄1

What kind of crops are there in your area?

In our area there is cotton, tobacco, corn, wheat and sunflowers…

Is there use of pesticides and fertilizers on

those crops? Yes there is for insects and for other plant diseases …

What is the farmer’s protection in relation to themselves and to the consumers?

Protection unfortunately nowadays is less than it has to be. This happens because farmers are not responsible and not aware enough!

Do they know the need of those pesticides which they use?

Of course they do! For this topic the agriculturists are responsible.

Do they know the course of those substances in relation to the environment?

Yes they do. For this reason there are places where farmers clean their containers and tractors….

Do they know the right way to use the substances and by who?

Yes they do from the agriculturists. Also farmers pass on information from generation to generation..

Do they feel sensitive to the environment like a heritage which they will pass on to other generations?

Some of them yes but others no because their only aim is to earn money…

Are they satisfied with their production?

Yes they are but not at all times because the supplies are too expensive and they have to buy cheaper so production is not constantly satisfying..

What is the reason of the production’s muscle these years?

The reason is the rise of prices on supplies.

ΑΝΤΩΝΙΑ ΒΕΛΙΔΟΥ ANDONIA VELIDOU

Class Β' 1

PESTICIDES

And their effects on the environment

What can pesticides actually do to the environment?

The presence of pesticides in soil can cause changes in the

populations of microorganisms, insects, plants and of course,

animals.

Leaching of pesticides from soils and their movement in the

underground aquifer is a serious risk of groundwater pollution.

Fish can accommodate large quantities of pesticides, both from the food chain and the water passing through their gills, making them really dangerous for us to eat.

• What kinds of crops do you farm in the area?

-Corn, clover, wheat, cotton, sugar beet, industrial tomato and other vegetables

• Is there use of pesticides and fertilizers in those crops and if yes why?

-Yes, pesticides and fertilizers are used to increase production and

to keep away insects. Do you know the toxicity of those?

-Yes, they are known.

So we asked a farmer some things about pesticides and fertilizers…

• Do you know the course of the substances in the environment?

-Yes, they are known as well.

• Have you been updated for the right use of pesticides and if yes from where?

-Every farmer has been updated thanks to the government, nowadays they have to pass a test to be able to use pesticides and

fertilizers.

• Do you feel sensitive to the envronment?

-Very much!

• Would you be interested to work with biological crops?

-Maybe in the future.

• Do you feel satisfied with the quality of the products which you produce?

-Yes, satisfied enough.

• What do you think causes the drop of the quality of products the last years?

-Overproduction and overconsumption.

Dimos Tychalas-Δήμος Τυχάλας class B΄1

Erasmus plus The use of pesticides

Η χρήση των φυτοφαρμάκων

Do farmers know where toxic pesticides end up ?

Γνωρίζουν οι αγρότες την πορεία των τοξικών φυτοφαρμάκων;

Unfortunately, they end up in the aquifer and farmers hope that they’ll arrive late.

Δυστυχώς, αυτά τα αέρια καταλήγουν στον υδροφόρο ορίζοντα και οι αγρότες ελπίζουν πως θα αργήσουν να καταφθάσουν εκεί.

The end

Kariotis Stelios

Class B1

What products are cultivated in your region?

Products cultivated

in our region :

Wheat

Corn

Cottons

Beans

tomato

Farmers feel satisfied as to the quality of their produce?

• Product quality is quite satisfying because the geography of our municipality in combination with the climate are ‘good’quality characteristics.!

Products tested on animals

• The animals live in confinement conditions and are subjected to torturous experiments. These tests are not required by law, and often lead to inaccurate and misleading conclusions.

• Each year hundreds of thousands of animals are poisoned, blinded, deformed, suffering from burns and killed to test cosmetic and household products such as shampoo, home cleansers, creams, etc.

Are fertilizer used on these crops? And what is their necessity?

• The general term fertilizer refers to any substance, natural or artificially prepared, that improves growth and productivity of plants!

Reducing garbage in fields

• The latest research done is: garbage in fields: Garbage lying in the fields should be gathered more quickly to prevent contaminated soil.

What are the reasons of decline in the quality of the products of the past year?

The reduction in quality in the last year is due to: weather the reduction of prices of organic products

because the secondary can not cope financially to make better products as organic products are cheap in the time of economic crisis!

Do they know the toxicity of the drugs used?

• These years organic products are controlled by the state thus the production of use-organic pesticides and fertilizers

Κατερίνα Γκιοργκίνη

Katerina Georgini Class B΄1

What kind of crops are growing in our region?

In our region a lot of crops are growing:

leguminous,vegetables cotton and other crops.For example

:watermelons,melons beans tomatoes and peppers.

Do you use fertilizers and pesticides and what's

their necessity?

Of course we use fertizilers and pesticides.I believe that

their use is necessary because people want ripe products

and sometimes there are plant deseases and weeds.

What are the protective measures for the farmers,

the environment and the consumers?

The protective measures are minimal...the farmers only

wear masks...that's all...

Do you know the toxicity of the fertilizers

which you use?

We know that their use isn't the best thing for the

environment but they make our crops grow faster and

and we can sell them as fast as possible.

Do you know the effects of these substances on

the environment as a whole?

I don't know exactly, but I think that gradually these

substances are spread everywhere...

Have you been informed about the right way to

use the fertilizers?

Yes of course but almost nobody apply them.

Do you feel sensitized in relation to the

environment as a heritage that you will pass on

to other generations?

Of course we do but we can't act differently.We are

undergoing a serious economical crisis and we must

survive somehow.

Would you be interested in cultivating organic

crops?

It would be the best solution but there wouldn't be any

profit...

Do you feel content with your production?

Yes, because I use minimal quantity of fertilizers.

What are the reasons of the reduced quality of

the products the last years?

I believe that the aimless use of fertilizers has caused

everything.

Τζέσικα Τομάι

Β1

Jessica Tomai

Name some of the main cultivations of your area.

The cultivations of our area are corn, sunflower, sugar and cotton.

Do you use fertilizers and pesticides? Yes, we make use of some of them in order to

protect plants from deseases and of course to increase production.

What measures do you take to protect yourselves the environment and the consumers?

Some farmers wear masks, gloves and special clothes. Some cultivators, however, throw pesticide containers

into ponds, canals and rivers; this causes great environmental pollution

Are the farmers awear of the toxicity of the products they use?

Most of them are not, because they are only interested in making easy money, ignoring the effects on the environment.

Are cultivators aware of the pollution that all these products bring to the rivers, the sea etc.

Sometimes they seem to be aware sometimes not...

Have they been informed about the effects on humans and the environment, generally?

Are they sensitive to the environment? Do they feel responsible for the heritage they will pass on to future generations?

Are they interested in organic farming? Most people have thought about that, but I think

firstly there are some problems to be solved.

Are you satisfied with the quality of the products you produce?

Yes, even though there are many things we can do...in the future...

ELENI TOSSIDOU ΕΛΕΝΗ ΤΟΣΣΙΔΟΥ