Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: A survey conducted by two IITians has found that 68 percent of vegetable farmers under survey in Barpeta, Darrang, Nagaon, and Hailakandi districts use more pesticides than the recommended amount, a reality that affects human and soil health, besides posing a threat to the ecology.
Kishor Goswami and Abdullah Al Mamun, both from IIT-Kharagpur, have had a comprehensive analysis on ‘Navigating Pesticide Overuse in Vegetable Farming in Assam.’. The report, which the two IITians published in the ‘International Journal of Vegetable Science,’ said, “The study was based on a qualitative and quantitative approach, using personal interviews with 390 vegetable farmers. A total amount of 2,573 kg of pesticide active ingredients was applied by the farmers per season, and it was observed that 80 percent of the farmers exceeded the recommended pesticide usage, with an average overuse rate of 0.88 kg per season. These four districts were chosen for their diverse agro-climatic conditions and significant vegetable production.”
According to the report published in the journal, the farmers use maximum pesticides in the commercial production of tomatoes, cabbages, cauliflowers, etc. The farmers say that they have to use pesticides to give the vegetables a perfect look in the markets so as to get a better bargain.
The report further said that most of the commercial vegetable growers resort to following the advice they get from the retailers of pesticides. In order to increase their sales, the retailers advise the vegetable growers to use more pesticides. Fifty-five percent of the vegetable growers use pesticides in accordance with the advice from retailers, and a section uses pesticides following advice from their fellow farmers. Only 13 percent of farmers use pesticides following the tips they get from agricultural extension officers.
The report has made it a point that the vegetable growers do not say the excessive use of pesticides clearly. “We calculated it by comparing their reported usage to the recommended amount of pesticide level and cross-verifying with the Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine, and Storage,” the IITian duo said.
The findings of the usage of 2,573 kg of pesticide say that 16 percent is extremely harmful for health, 25 percent is moderately harmful, and seven percent is slightly harmful. Around 72 percent of the farmers use pesticides on cauliflower and cabbage as many as four to six times in a season and seven to nine times on tomatoes. However, a section of the farmers admitted that they grow such vegetables with less use of pesticides for their household consumption.
The report suggested that farmers need training under the Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Only 27 percent of the surveyed farmers received training under the IPM. The other suggestion is that the authorities concerned need to bring the retailers under strict regulations, besides encouraging organic farming. The consumers, on the other hand, need to shift their preference from cosmetic standards of vegetables to qualitative standards through awareness programmes. The issuance of certificates for sustainable products can relieve pressure on vegetable growers to overuse pesticides.
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