and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

PESTICIDE RESIDUES INTIIlE EN VIRONMENT: AN NGO PIESPECI1V. 395
1) freedom of information, 2) education and people's participation, and 3)support
for international initiatives.
Freedom of Information
Freedom of information is a tool by which citizens and reporters can dig out
relevant data about chemical issues and other matters of public concern from
government files that normally remain inaccessible. Freedom of information
laws can establish the framework for democratizing technology. Armed with
more accurate informatio', citizens can better judge the costs and benefits of
allowing pesticides to be used in their communities. Thus informed, they are
better prepared to participate in decisions which can ultimately determine not
only their economic well being, but also the state of their health as well as that
of their children.
Education and People's Ppticipation
Inorder to build a citizenry actively involved in shaping the policy decisions
that affect their future as well as present well-being, they must be educated on
the pesticide problems that beset their comm-unities, countries, the region, and
the world they live in, the basic sources of these problems, and the safe control
altern 'ives a ailable.
In June 1985, the Pesticide Action Network launched a worldwide public
education and media c'ffL which focused on 12 hazardous and widely-used
pesticidcs. This "Dirty Dozen" Campaign has several important aims: (1) to
ensure that all policy decisions affecting pesticide use and trade will take into
consideration first human safety and environmental health; (2) to strengthen
pesticide regulatory and information systems in all countries and internationil
agencies; and (3) to generate support for sustainable agriculture. Through such
efforts, NGOs have not only raised public consciousness about pesticide issues,
but also trained and encouraged citizens to participate in all decisions about
pesticide use.
SAFER PEST CONTROL STRATEGIES THROUGH INTEGRATED PEST
MANAGEMENT Third World farmers and their governments have come to
believe that pesticide use equals high yield,, and no pesticides means low,
unprofitable yields. But the choice is not between pesticides and no pesticides.
Third World farmers and governments can choose a hazardous and potentially
ineffective or counter-productive dependence on a pest management strategy based
solely on the uncontrolled application of chemicals. Or they can choose a pest
management strategy that is both safer and more effective - a strategy that
includes traditional pest manage.,ent techniques and that integrates these with
the use of the safest possible chemical pesticides only when necessary, to deal
with pest problems as a part of a system that includes people, crops, beneficial
insects, fish, and livestock, as well as pests and chemicals. This is a basis of
integrated pest management (IPM). I will not go into a discussion of IPM.