Focus on organic farming

The ongoing arsenic issue has again brought to the surface controversies with regard to the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizer. Now that the authorities have concluded that there had been no arsenic in locally produced rice, it is timely to revisit this issue from a wider perspective.

Sri Lankan farmers have been farming rice and other crops for centuries without using chemical/artificial insecticides, weedicides and fertilizer. They relied on organic methods of pest control and also used organic (natural) fertilizer. What they reaped was adequate for their consumption.

But as the population grew and rice began to be cultivated on a commercial basis, the need arose for bigger harvests. This is where chemical growth additives and disease repellents came in. Today, most farmers cannot even imagine cultivating paddy and other crops without chemical pesticides and fertiliser.

The result is that practically every food item we consumes paddy, fruits and vegetables - is tainted by chemical substances (pesticide residue) which may be injurious to our health in the long term. In other words, it is a gradual process of poisoning or a slow death. However, agricultural workers face a far greater risk due to occupational or accidental exposure to harmful pesticides. Moreover, these substances enter the soil and affect the water table, a factor that may have played a part in the high prevalence of kidney diseases in certain areas.

Did you know that 400 of the pesticides presently on the global market were registered before being tested to determine if they caused cancer, birth defects or wildlife toxicity ? These pesticides have around 600 complex chemical ingredients.

Let’s face the bare facts: It has been estimated that at least three million cases of pesticide poisoning occur worldwide each year, with 220,000 deaths. The majority of these poisonings occur in developing countries where less protection against exposure is applied, knowledge of health risks and safe use is limited and harmful pesticides are easily accessible to all. And we are not even talking about the intentional use of pesticides for suicide and other purposes. There is a bewildering array of pesticides in the market and it is not always clear as to which pesticide is suitable in a particular situation. There should be more information and transparency with regard to pesticides available in the open market.

The good work done by the National Poisons Information Centre must be publicized and there should be a regional information network as well. Farmers must also be educated on protective gear that should be used when applying weedicides. There are many farmers who do not take adequate measures to avoid accidental exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. This is especially applicable to farmers in the North and the East who have begun farming again after a lapse of many years.

Store owners should also be educated about the correct storage methods for pesticides and on the need to keep them away from other items such as food.

The time has come to focus more attention on biological methods of pest control and plant growth. The key term here is Integrated Pest Management (IPM), an ecological approach to plant protection that was identified as a key element of sustainable agricultural development in Agenda 21 - the action plan developed by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, convened in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. World leaders will revisit this concept next year at the Rio 2012 Summit.

IPM makes full use of natural and cultural control processes and methods, including host resistance and biological control. It also involves a wide range of other nature-inspired practices aimed at growing a healthy crop. Indeed, our ancestors were using IPM all those years ago. IPM uses chemical pesticides only where and when these natural measures fail to keep pests below damaging levels.

We should have more disease resistant crop varieties which will nearly make pesticides redundant. If certain plants have to be Genetically Modified for this purpose, so be it. More biological control methods must be identified for the various animal, fungal and plant pests that affect plants.

It can save a lot of money as well. Worldwide, the cost of pesticides used for agriculture is around US$ 33 billion annually. And a country such as Sri Lanka will be able to save a vast amount of foreign exchange spent on imported pesticides.

There should also be a move away from chemical fertilizer where possible. Compost and other organic fertilizers must be popularized mainly for vegetable and fruit cultivation. Sri Lanka is yet to see a big shift towards organic farming, whereas it is very popular in the West. Organic foods (including livestock products) are very popular over there and most supermarkets have a separate area for organic items. They are a little more expensive than the normal varieties but consumers prefer to buy them in these environmentally conscious times. The health benefits are a real bonus too. The authorities must provide incentives and concessions to farmers who take the organic route.

Pesticide use is not limited to agriculture. For example, chemical methods are used for mosquito control. Here too, the relevant safety measures and biological control methods must be used. It is also prudent to prevent the spread of mosquitoes in the first place

It is not realistic to expect the total elimination of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in agriculture around the world, because of the soaring demand for more food from an increasing population.

But an attempt can be made to reduce our dependency on them. More scientific research should be carried out on alternatives to chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizer and to reduce the harm caused by existing ones.

The arsenic scare is an eye opener to all stakeholders in agriculture the authorities, farmers, pesticide manufacturers/distributors and food consumers.

The goal should be to veer away from chemical materials in agriculture and livestock farms as much as possible. The organic farming movement must be strengthened in Sri Lanka for the benefit of consumers and farmers alike.