Challenges and options of pesticide use: In the context of Nepal

Transcription

1 Landschaftsökologie und Umweltforschung 38 p Braunschweig 2002 Challenges and options of pesticide use: In the context of Nepal B.R. PALIKHE Plant Protection Directorate, Department of Agriculture, Harihar Bhawan, G.P.O Box 1818, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, Nepal Abstract Pressure of growing population and lesser options have put enormous burden to meet food needs. Food security is a major concern and challenge in Nepal, where the diverse agroclimatic conditions necessitate different approaches to cultivation and crop protection. It is estimated that Nepal losses around 35% of its crop due to pests and storage. The widespread use and disposal of pesticides by farmers and the general public provide many possible sources of pesticides in the environment. The indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides has resulted in several problems such as pest resistance to pesticides, resurgence of pests, toxic residues in food, water, air and soil, elimination of natural enemies and disruption of ecosystem. In the Nepalese context, one of the issues is misuse and abuse of pesticides in the commercial farmers. Most farmers' do not understand the nature of pesticides as insecticides and fungicides as medicines rather than poisons. Due to ignorance, many accidental poisonings occur annually. The implementation of awareness program on pesticide safe use practices poses challenges and constraints. However, there is a need to uplift the awareness level of the farmers. There is a trans-boundary issue, illegal import of pesticides and banned pesticides over Nepal's boarder are found into local markets. Nepal has a pesticide disposal problem. The best option for the sector is to adopt an optimal crop protection strategy. There are great chances to find several plant species, which grow naturally in abundance and may provide quite effective safe and economical bio-pesticides. Introduction Nepal's agriculture sector is the largest contributor engaging 90% of its total population. The share of agriculture in the national GDP is 42%. Pesticides in agricultural sector were introduced in Nepal in the early sixties. Since then their use in the sector has increased rapidly

2 in the pretext of improving crop yields. Unfortunately throughout the world, overuse and misuse of chemical pesticides in agriculture cause environmental and health damage and Nepal is no exception. Infants and children may be more vulnerable to pesticide exposure. The country is still struggling to be self- sufficient in food supply for her people. The state is worsened by the fact that 35% of the produce goes to waste in pre and post harvest operations due to insect pest attacks in the field and storage. If only these loses could be reduced, there would be a considerable increase in availability of food, which could contribute significantly to food security. In the field of environmental protection, the risk of pollution caused by pesticides is a critical problem in many countries. It is especially a major challenge to developing countries and countries with economics in transition. Pesticide management and registration system To promote environmentally sound management of chemicals, Nepal has got a pesticide registration scheme. The Pesticide Act, 1991 and the Pesticide Rule, 1993 cover measures to regulate import, manufacture, sale, storage, transport, distribution and use of pesticides. It is mandatory that any pesticide before distribution and importation should be first registered in accordance with the registration procedure adopted by the Pesticide Board. Pesticides other than notified ones are not to be imported, exported, produced, used or distributed. The regulations also prohibit the sale of any pesticide, which is imported for scientific or research purposes. HMG/N (His Majesty s Government of Nepal) shall, on the recommendation of the Board, publish the names of the registered pesticides in the Nepal Gazette. The licensing control of hazardous chemicals prevents unauthorized persons from handling such chemicals. Reseller License and Importer License issued are valid for two years and 5 years respectively. The Board may cancel a license if the terms and conditions of that license are not followed. The powers of Pesticide Inspectors are set out in the Pesticide Act/Regulations, which gives power to the Board to prepare and enforce any guidelines on the matters relating to pesticides for the effective implementation of the Act. Any control system, no matter how well crafted, will not be effective without rigorous enforcement.

3 Prioritised challenges There are many challenges associated with the use of pesticides, including those categorised as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Collectively with the non-pops pesticides, many of which also share similar problems. However, depending upon the socio-economic situation, the levels of industrialization and literacy and geographical features the challenges would vary from one country to another. Aggressive marketing strategies Dealers take up intensive and aggressive marketing strategies to sell their products with the perception that there are no other alternatives for farmers except the use of chemical pesticides. Misuse of pesticides Regular misuse of pesticides, especially the broad spectrum used most in Nepal, cause pests to adopt and become resistant to the pesticides. Most pesticides are then required at higher doses to achieve the same level of control, though often these are not as effective. The high dosage is very critical with pesticides. Many cases have been recorded in tomato cultivation. Underdosing to save money will result in no control as a threshold dosage must be reached for any mortality to occur. It is a known fact that farmers do not follow the preharvest waiting period. They apply pesticides near harvest time, some even dipping vegetables in pesticides before selling. Others treat food grain with pesticides against storage pests. Many misuses have been reported by Giri (1992), Baker and Gyawali (1994), Dahal (1995) generally from farmers who do not realize the extent to which pesticides are poisonous and hazardous to humans and the nature. The concept of chronic poisoning and health risks is not fully understood by farmers, distributors and importers. Studies have shown that over 60% farmers using pesticides for over five years wait less than two weeks after spraying pesticides before harvesting the crop. The negative health effects of pesticides, therefore is a serious problem requiring efforts to reduce pesticide misuse in Nepal.

4 The environmental costs of pesticide misuse are potentially huge. Endosulphan is a broad spectrum and has been restricted in many countries to non-aquatic habitats as it is highly toxic to fish. Farmers place pesticides into rivers and streams in order to catch fish. Pattern of use Farmers do not always know the active ingredient. Sometimes out dated pesticides are sold to farmers. Farmers use a mixture of chemicals together therefore when incidents occur it is difficult to specify the responsible chemical. Protective clothes are not available or not suitable for hot climate. Use of highly toxic pesticides Many pesticides used by farmers were highly toxic posing health threats to users, livestocks, as well as the environment. Pesticide residues on food There are numerous reports of excessive pesticide residues in food in Nepal. Annual Bulletins from the Central Food Research Laboratory (CFRL) routinely detected residues from their sampling program. From 1981 to 1986, the residues of organochlorine and organophosphate insecticides were a more serious problem in cereal grains, legumes and vegetables but have declined in recent times. Residues surpassing legal limits set by HMG/N by the Food Standardization Committee were reported existing in the Annual Bulletins from 1992/1993 through 1995/96 such as tea (Malathion, DDT, BHC), grapes (methyl parathion), rice (BHC), chickpea (DDT) and organophosphates on vegetables (greens, potato, cabbage, chickpea and pumpkin). Pesticides as medicines Due to public perception, a large number of farmers still recognise pesticides as medicine, a notion implanted in the mind of the farmers.

5 Resistance There are two problems in vector control i.e. insecticide resistance and exophilic and or exophagic vector behavior. Resistance to DDT was first reported in the 1960s. This resistance spread rapidly demanding the use of alternate insecticides. The re-emergence of vector borne diseases is likely to substantially increase the use of redial insecticide. The continued dependence on insecticides may result in high levels of pollution of the bio-diversity with adverse impact on health of the people. The challenge lies in initiating timely preventive action in the introduction of alternative methods of disease vector control and selective and absolutely essential use insecticides. Malathion spraying has also become problematical because of high refusals due to pungent order, high cost and vector resistance. Resistance is a big problem in both agriculture and public health. Resurgence Resurgence occurs because natural enemies of insect pests are more likely to receive toxic levels, as they are more mobile and can pick up residues on the plant surface. Pollution Persistent pesticides create problems to environment. They pollute air, soil and water and they are harmful to ecology of living organisms. In Nepal problems include pollution generated during improper handling, storage, transport and accidents and environmental contamination due to unsound disposal methods. Water pollution is the most serious environmental quality issue in Nepal. Studies have shown that 52% of the respondents had no knowledge of the environmental effects of chemical. Alternatives Unaware of PIC & POPs pesticides; Not readily available; A comprehensive study is required on the existing alternatives; Alternatives to banned/restricted pesticides are very expensive - the ratio may be as big as 1:4 DDT is observed to be the cheapest insecticide. The other substitute namely malathion is four times more expensive & certain mosquitoes (A. culcifacies) have

6 developed resistance against malathion. But the malathion is much more safer pesticide as comparing to DDT. There are problems associated with PIC and POPs pesticides as well as alternative pesticides. Illegal transboundary movement The use of banned or restricted pesticide cannot be prevented effectively because of illegal trans-boundary movement of pesticides. There is little or no information on such illegal movements regarding the name, quantities of chemicals sold. False advertisement It should be unlawful to advertise false, misleading and deceptive information and not to claim that any pesticide is safe, non-poisonous, non-injurious, or harmless. Public awareness Many farmers/workers are unaware of some of the properties of pesticides, in what conditions they present danger and how to protect oneself from poisoning, The general belief seems to be that if one doesnot die immediately then pesticides present no harm. There is widespread ignorance of the existence of chronic pesticide poisoning. Concept of pesticide resistance/resurgence are not understood by farmers. Importers/Resellers/Farmer refer to pesticides as medicines rather than poisons. Adulterated or substandard products Adulterated or substandard products cannot be used. These unusable pesticides are all classified as potential waste by FAO. Lower concentrations will result in lower efficacy and thus waste of resources. Higher concentrations increase hazard and phytotoxicity. The most common practice is sale of diluted pesticides at concentrations below the stated amount. The result is non-control of target pests leading to resistance. Adulteration is more difficult to detect without chemical analysis but there are reports of more expensive chemicals being substituted by cheaper products.

7 Disposal of obsolete pesticides Nepal's most prominent problem is its stockpiles of obsolete pesticides. The problem of obsolete pesticide stocks is caused by purchasing more pesticides than are needed. If these stocks are not used within 2 years they gradually become unusable due to deterioration in storage. Any pesticide stockpiles are potentially hazardous. There is also a risk of severe environmental impacts in the event of a flood, fire, earthquake & other natural disaster. It is estimated that 74 tons of obsolete pesticides are stored in Nepal at the moment. This amount of pesticide waste generated in Nepal over the last 3-4 decades is not enough for the cost savings. Risk-benefit analysis There is a need for a thorough risk benefit analysis prior to registration of pesticides at national level. Registration Office is now looking into this. Such studies would have to take into consideration in both agriculture and health field. Lack of capacity is the serious problem in this regard. Local data Local data are not available simply because not much research works have been done on toxic chemical pesticides. Experts Nepal does not have competence and sufficient experts in the field of pesticides toxicology/research. IPM products Very few IPM products such as pheromone traps and other bio-environmental safe alternatives are available in the country at higher rates as these products are not classified as agricultural products.

8 Post registration Without a strong post registration surveillance, the legislation process would be rendered inconsequential. The registrar's office is slowly looking into all this due to manpower problem. Product stewardship principles The government needs to pledge "from cradle to grave product stewardship". Chemical manufacturers and importers should be made responsible for cradle to grave cycle of their products especially toxic chemical pesticides. Cooperation General lack of adequate co-operation among stakeholders in chemical management including PIC procedure. Infrastructural challenges Lack of laboratory facilities to Pesticide quality residue analysis Toxicological analysis Inadequate institutional development to handle all matters of pesticides like toxicological aspects. Laboratory facilities are required to accomplish such tasks. Challenges to implement the PIC The implementation of PIC poses challenges and constraints in Nepal. Decision Guidance Document (DGDs) which is very technical. Local Data not available because not much research has been done on PIC chemicals Lack of adequate knowledge on Risk Assessment. Low awareness among stakeholders on chemical management issues and PIC procedure. In the Asian region agriculture is an important part of the economy. Where nations are not separated by natural boundaries, there has traditionally been a free trade of various

9 commodities including pesticides and other agro-chemicals. It may be possible that there are cases where chemicals covered under PIC which have been banned or severely restricted are being exported to the country without complying with PIC procedures. International agreements International agreements related to the management of hazardous chemicals include The Stockholm Convention, 2001 Rotterdam Convention on PIC, 1998 FAO Code of Conduct on Distribution and Use of Pesticides, 1985 London Guidelines for the Exchange of Information on Chemicals in International Trade, Implementation of these international agreements is hampered by factors such as expertise & inadequate infrastructure. Options The possible options on alternatives to eliminate or reduce their use or dependence are suggested as follows. The IPM option (IPM already on the ground) United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) Agenda 21 emphasises IPM as the best tool for 21st century Plant Protection Services. It states that IPM should be the guiding principle for pest control and that it is the best option for the future as it guarantees yield, reduces costs, is environmental friendly and contributes to the sustainability of agriculture. Because of the serious and adverse effects of pesticides, various efforts have been made to develop alternative approach aiming at eliminating or reducing their use or dependence. In practice, several models exists and have been advocated: Integrated Pest Management Integrated Crop Management (ICM) Which emphasise "Judicious" as opposed to "Indiscriminate" use of pesticides

10 Low external Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) Organic Agriculture (OA) Use of environmental friendly safer pesticides with low toxicity Realizing its potentiality, HMG/Nepal has already given priority to create public mass awareness and implemented effective IPM program through IPM Farmer Field School (FFS) for proper, sound and judicious management of pesticides. Today, IPM is considered as "National Pest Control Strategies" in Nepal. Presently, IPM provides the best option for rice and vegetables (Tomato, cauliflower, potato) and is more widely adopted. IPM has been widely accepted as the alternative to pesticide application, although IPM doesnot exclude the use of pesticides. It advocates the judicious and prudent use of such chemicals. A novel approach to meet this challenge, FFS had emerged in southeast Asia. The IVM option Vector control interventions that can be incorporated in an integrated approach include : Environmental Management Environmental Modification (Irrigation schemes, Drainage Management & Road Construction of housing development) Environmental Manipulation (recurrent activities to reduce environmental receptivity often linked to operation and maintenance work) Zooprophylaxis (the use of cattle to divert zoophilic vector species away from biting humans) Personal Protection (Mosquito nets, use of repellents) Biological Control Use of predators/parasites (the use of larvivorous fish is the most common approach and can be linked to fish culture for income generation. Use of bacterial toxins (Bacillus thuringiensis) The aim of the application of biological and environmental management methods is to eliminate mosquito breeding. IVM strategies that use no insecticide at all can be cheaper than spraying houses with DDT.

11 Chemical Control Latest development is use of bed nets treated with synthetic pyrethroid, which is non-toxic and biodegradable and does not accumulate in nature as DDT. Citizen Awareness An increasing number of farmers producing organic vegetables is an indication of the expanding scope for IPM and citizen support. Botanical Insecticides Nepal is very rich in flora and there is a great scope for the development and use of botanical pesticides. In recent years, neem (Azadirachta indica) is getting popularity as a source of botanical pesticides which is highly eco-friendly. A number of world companies are engaged in processing neem seeds for extracting azadirachtin, a lamanoid, which is valued as an antifeedent chemical against a variety of insect pests. There is also a variety of natural botanical pesticides available to farmers. In the past, Nepalese farmers used these traditional methods of pest control and are still using them in hilly areas. Botanical pesticides are easy to grow and use and their costs are often minimal or free. Most botanical plants have low toxicity as compared to chemicals and their residues do not pollute the environment. The most common pesticidal value of Nepal's indigenous plants include Allium sativum (insect repellent), a leaf extract of Artemisia vulgaris (for caterpillars & stored grain pests), Urtica dioica (stems and leaves for red ants and cutworms), Zanthoxylum armatum's fruit (insect repellent for : stored grain pests), Acorus calamus (insect repellent & contact poison) & Chenopodium botrys (insect repellent). Prior Informed Consent The PIC procedure provides important support to countries that do not have adequate legislation to regulate and control import of chemicals. The procedure is also very useful in that it provides for information exchange on specified chemicals which will assist the government in making decisions. Chemicals should not be exported without the explicit consent of the importing country.

12 Basel Convention Products, the use of which is no longer permitted (banned, deregistered), are candidates for disposal. Banned or deregistered products may be still usable in other countries where use is still permitted. But due to the Basel Convention guidelines, the exporting country has to receive permission from the importing country. HMG/N has already ratified the Basel Convention on the control of the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their control. Conclusion and Recommendations Farmers need to know what is the information printed on a pesticide label. Instructions written on the label or an accompanying leaflet need to be followed to obtain the recommended dosage. Farmers need to be reminded that pesticides are not the only control measures for pest problems. The strengths of both Government and NGOs entities should be utilized in this large endeavor. The government should foster IPM and remove taxes from IPM products. This recommendation is in line with recent changes in government policy where IPM methods are to be preferred over pesticide usage. There is a need for co-ordination and cooperation among and between countries within the same region. UNEP and FAO could play the role as a facilitator.