Crop Protection
- Chemical crop protection products or “pesticides” help control insects, diseases, weeds, fungi and other undesirable pests.
- Pesticides comprise a wide range of products for both professional and home applications including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, sanitizers, growth regulators, rodenticides, and soil fumigants.
- The use of chemical crop protection in all contexts is highly regulated.
- The regulatory framework of pesticides encompasses national, regional, and international legislation and conventions that help assure safety for users, consumers and the environment.
In India, chemical crop protection is used as a means to help farmers improve agricultural productivity, contribute to food security and alleviate poverty. Improvement in farmer community livelihoods and the accompanying social benefits to rural economies have followed.
With the growing global population constantly challenging food production, crop protection products offer a means towards meeting the challenge of more food, on less land.
Food crops must compete with 30,000 species of weeds, 3,000 species of nematodes and 10,000 species of plant-eating insects. We know that despite the use of modern crop protection products 20-40% of potential food production is still lost every year to pests. These losses can occur while the crop is growing in the field, when it is in storage and in the home. In short, an adequate, reliable food supply cannot be guaranteed without the use of crop protection products.
Whilst recognizing the important role of pesticides in society, it is important to note that the safety of pesticides for users, consumers, and its environmental impact is carefully regulated. Product registrations, permitting sale within the country, are based upon comprehensive safety assessments and defined product uses. Each product has a specific application that is clearly indicated on the label. Whilst these regulatory aspects are carefully considered prior to commercial sale, the lifecycle approach to pesticide management allows manufacturers to extend their safety considerations through the entire lifespan of the product. This commitment is referred to as “product stewardship.”
Safety considerations pertaining directly to product use include education and training programs that relay how products can be used safely and efficiently. Whilst avoiding some of the inherent risks of harmful or toxic chemicals is critical, end-users aware of the hazards and taking the recommended precautions are keen to learn how products can be more effectively applied to increase productivity and save input costs. These two concepts broach the areas of safe/responsible use and integrated pest management.
‘Crop Protection Chemicals’ Contributing towards Productivity, Human Health and the Environment
Pesticides have contributed significantly to improving the quality of life and safeguarding the environment. Although often taken for granted, without these important products, food production would decline, many fruits and vegetables would be in short supply and prices would rise. Insect-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, would proliferate unchecked.
The use of pesticides brings numerous benefits and makes a significant contribution to our healthy daily lifestyle. These benefits are not confined to the users of pesticides, but reach out to majority of people across the world. The masses often take for granted or oppose the use of pesticides, but actually their usage ensures the year-round availability of high-quality, affordable crops. Similarly, the environment and wild plants, birds and animals benefit from the carefully regulated application of chemical pesticides.
Over the last 50 years, pesticides have proven to be the indispensable tool in the sustainable production of high quality food crops and fibres. Since their introduction, farmers have been able to produce bigger crops on less land. Crop productivity has increased in between 20 and 50%. Pesticides allow farmers to maximize the benefits of other inputs, which include high quality seeds, fertilizers, and precious water resources.
While helping to improve the economics of farming, pesticides have also made farm work less arduous and labor intensive, and contributed towards environmental protection. Pesticides have reduced the need for hand weeding, and thus the all too frequent total commitment of entire families to farm labor. Making farming more efficient has reduced deforestation and conserved natural resources. Application of herbicides has further resulted in decreased soil erosion and has prevented loss of organic matter from the soil. Appropriate use of modern pesticides to control invasive species and noxious weeds has been important in environmental management.
Whilst the producers of our food crops have benefited, so we as consumers have reaped the rewards. Our markets and stores are full of food crops that are safer, more nutritious and affordable than ever. Fruits and vegetables that were once “seasonal” are now almost in year-round abundance. Pesticides help combat the specter of starvation and malnutrition that could kill thousands of starving human beings and animals. The nutritional value of diets of low-income families is increasing with ability to afford occasional servings of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Not only are pesticides contributing to improved diets, they also help eliminate pests that cause diseases and damage to property. Whilst the specter of insect-borne disease such as Malaria, Dengue fever, Chicken Guinea loom large, pesticides remain the most effective method of keeping these threats at bay. Extensive use of household pesticide products to combat termites, cockroaches, rats, and other pests make a big difference to the everyday quality of life for many.
Of course, pesticides can also be hazardous if not used appropriately. To make sure that users enjoy the benefits and stay protected from the risks, CropLife India, our members and other Regional associations run a number of safe use training programs and campaigns.