Farmers, soil and chemical pollution

If we have a closer look at this then, the relationship between farmers and soil is correlated. Farmers are the one who is born in soil and will die in the soil as a majority part of their life is involved playing with soil.

In between farmers and soil there comes pesticides, chemical fertilizers and some other chemicals which are used in farmer field for maintaining crop health and increasing productivity. Optimum application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides as recommended are beneficial but the maximum application for an increase in productivity is highly detrimental for both ecosystem and soil health.

In the Nepalese context, farmers are unaware of the proper management of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The use of pesticides requires safety measures and proper disposal. But farmers are not found to follow this also use of pesticide dose in a higher amount than that of recommended one is observed. A recent study on pesticide use among potato growers in kavreplanchowk reported that most of them used broad-spectrum pesticide and safety measures for pesticide application are found to be followed in lower frequency.

Soil and chemical pollution

Application of fertilizers and pesticides in the lower amount does not have a significant effect on soil but a higher dosage has a detrimental effect on soil. Soil and water have a greater amount of pollution. Soil microflora has the greatest effect on soil and water bodies. Decrease in soil microflora population is reported in chemically polluted soils.

Is chemical pollution limited to soil and water bodies?

Chemical pollution is not limited to soil and water bodies. They are also detrimental to flora and faunas reported in the corresponding areas. Eutrophication is reported high in water odies due to artificial nutrient enrichment supplied by nutrient leaching from the soil. Excessive nutrient leaching had also lead to hyper-eutrophication than that of eutrophication. Decrease in dissolved oxygen and loss of aqua-diversity has been reported high in chemically polluted soil.

If we go through the soil, the food chain and food web are being disturbed by these chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Pesticides are highly detrimental to the invertebrate population in the farm field. Some of the beneficial lepidopterans have reported low in high dosage pesticide used field.

Are there any effects on human health?

If we talk about human health than direct and indirect effects have been reported by the use of pesticides. Pesticide users and sprayers are found to be directly affected and those rarely following safety measures are reported to suffer from minor allergy and headaches to major diseases like kidney failure and cancer. Due to excessive use of pesticides, vegetable growers from the Panchkhal area are found to be highly susceptible to cancer. It has been reported that at least a member of the house is infected with cancer and kidney failures.

However, bioaccumulation and biomagnification have been reported indirectly, the one who consumed the pesticide polluted vegetables were found to be susceptible to some of the diseases. Mostly, chlorine accumulation was reported high by bioaccumulation.

What to do Next?

Now, pesticide pollution is high and most of them are aware of this. Organic agriculture is a substitute that has been reported to be adopted by the majority of vegetable growers. Peoples of Panchkhal area have changed their lifestyle and vegetable production pattern. Pesticide residue tests in vegetables should be strictly followed in every vegetable collection area of the country.

Though theres been pesticide residue test facilities in major parts of the country but all of them are not aware of it. Farmers should be made aware of the pesticide accumulation in vegetables and other edible grains due to which they are not having their lives at risk but are also creating a therat to society.

Recently different surveys have been conducted throughout the country relating to the peoples' response and awareness related to pesticide usage. Moreover, none of the survey practitioners have focused on providing information related to pesticide usage and the formulation of pesticides. So it is necessary to conduct a survey and focus group discussion to make people aware of pesticide usage. We should focus on reducing pesticide usage and promoting the use of bio-pesticide and other organic residue and Integrated Pesticide Management (IPM) training to the farmers. Very less of the farmers are aware of IPM thus focus should be given in these.

I am doing Something………………………………….

I am recently involved in collecting information related to pesticide usage practices in Nepal. I have selected 2-3 districts from each province of Nepal and thinking to conduct a survey, in the selected study area. This study focuses on people's response to pesticide usage and what they have been doing for good pesticide management practices. Also, the wide variety of chemical pesticides used would be reported and analyzed. This collected information will be published in any national or international journals so that all would be informed about the present status of Nepal in pesticide usage.

We have prepared an open-ended and close-ended questionnaire to conduct a survey. Our sampling technique involves a random sampling survey using non-replacement techniques.

Thank You!!!!

References

1.      Atreya, K. (2007). Pesticide use knowledge and practices: A gender differences in Nepal. Environmental Research, 104(2), 305-311.

2.      Sharma, D. R., Thapa, R. B., Manandhar, H. K., Shrestha, S. M., & Pradhan, S. B. (2012). Use of pesticides in Nepal and impacts on human health and environment. Journal of Agriculture and environment, 13, 67-74.

3.      Bhandari, G., Atreya, K., Yang, X., Fan, L., & Geissen, V. (2018). Factors affecting pesticide safety behaviour: The perceptions of Nepalese farmers and retailers. Science of The Total Environment, 631, 1560-1571.

4.                     Liu Y, Pan X, Li J. A 1961–2010 record of fertilizer use, pesticide application and cereal yields: a review. Vol. 35, Agronomy for Sustainable Development. Springer-Verlag France; 2014. p. 83–93.