From: Truth Out
Saturday, 02 July 2016 00:00
By Aleszu Bajak, Ensia | News Analysis
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Herbicides, insecticides and fungicides threaten the environment and human health in many parts of the world. But research is pointing to a better approach. (Photo: Pixabay) |
In today's globalized world, it is not inconceivable that one might
drink coffee from Colombia in the morning, munch cashews from Vietnam
for lunch and gobble grains from Ethiopia for dinner. That we can enjoy
these products is thanks, in large part, to expanded pesticide use
across the developing world.
Every year, some 3.5 billion kilograms (7.7 billion pounds)
of pesticides -- a catch-all term for the herbicides, insecticides and
fungicides applied to crops from seed to harvest -- are used to preserve
the quality and quantity of fruits, vegetables and grains. Herbicides,
such as Monsanto's weed killer glyphosate, make up the bulk of the
pesticides applied worldwide.
In the developing world, where swelling populations, increased
urbanization and growing economies create a demand for ever-more food --
produced quickly and inexpensively -- pesticide application rates are
rising. Bangladesh and Thailand have quadrupled their pesticide use
since the early 1990s, while Ghana, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, countries
newer to the pesticide game, have seen a 10-fold increase over the same
period, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. MORE
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