Status report on sugar cane agrochemicals ... - Sucre Ethique

31
Reasons for “bad practices” of
agrochemical application
For a number of reasons, the guidelines of ‘good practice’ in the application of agrochemicals
in sugarcane cultivation are frequently overlooked especially in the developing countries. On a
general level, the reasons relate to economics, lack of training and information, absence of appropriate
legislative and regulatory frameworks, and the chronic lack of manpower and � nancial
resources needed to implement and enforce legislation. In the following, these problems are
illustrated through a number of examples.
A frequent problem with agrochemical use is that the workers do not use appropriate equipment
to protect themselves from exposure to the toxic chemicals. A study conducted in Bangladesh
found that 87% of farmers used little or no protective equipment at all (Dasgupta et al. 2007).
Potential reasons for such neglect are many. Protective equipment may simply not be available or
it can be una� ordable for poor workers. Wearing heavy clothes and protective equipment in the
hot conditions in which sugarcane is habitually grown and harvested not only causes discomfort,
but also slows down the work. This is a signi� cant impediment, since for instance in Brazil, the
generalisation of mechanical harvesting has also led to an increase in the amount of cane that a
manual worker is expected to cut each day (Noronha et al. 2006). Sometimes, such as in the Nicaraguan
San Antonio case, the employer does not provide the equipment, or even forces the workers
to handle chemicals improperly. Workers may not have washing facilities available to shower
after spraying chemicals and for regular washing of clothes; and clothes may, for instance, be
washed in sources of drinking water (Brodesser et al. 2006). And � nally, lack of awareness among
workers about the health risks caused by the agrochemicals is a major reason for negligence. The
importance of proper protective equipment is underlined by van Wendel de Joode et al. (1996),
who note that sometimes even wearing gloves, overalls, aprons and trousers does not provide
adequate protection as the spray solution may get under clothing or soak into it.
Agrochemicals frequently cause harmful impacts, because they are applied at a wrong moment in
time, in inappropriate ways, too often or in excessive amounts. A study conducted in Bangladesh
revealed that 47% of farmers overused agrochemicals (Dasgupta et al. 2007). Faulty or poor-quality
equipment (e.g. leaks and blocked nozzles), low-quality products and adulteration, and the
use of “informal” application techniques (bucket and brush) may render products more hazardous
or ine� ective and contribute to overdosing (Brodesser et al. 2006). Acutely toxic pesticides
should not be applied by unprotected workers using hand-held sprayers (Maddy et al. 1990), yet
such conditions are frequent in developing countries. Chemicals may be mixed with bare hands,
di� erent products combined together, or chemicals may be applied on crops for which they are
not intended. Farmers may spray pesticides in a preventive manner, or spray a mixture of di� erent
formulas in a single application. The application of such “cocktails” may be conducted when the
residual e� ect of the previous application of the same pesticide is still present. Sprayer pressure
nozzles are often left in the same position for di� erent applications, leading to doses greater than
appropriate, spraying may be done during high evaporation or on windy days, or the volume of
mixture to the unit of area can simply be miscalculated. Other common practices that increase
risks include eating, drinking and smoking during application, and spraying against the wind.
Watercourses are frequently used for dumping pesticide containers and plastic bottles and to
wash spraying equipment. (Guivant 2003)
<strong>Status</strong> <strong>report</strong> on sugar cane
agrochemicals management
-
ETHICAL-SUGAR