Pesticides, Food Safety and the Environment: Sociocultural, Economic Concerns and Policy Adjustments

Rola, Roquia, Chupungco, and Hernandez (UPLB) looked into the farmers’ behaviors and practices related to pests and their control, determined their impacts on profitability, and reviewed pesticide policies that affected food safety and the environment. The research used secondary benchmark data/information and primary data through surveys and focused interviews with vegetable traders, pesticide dealers, and local government officials in the lowland vegetable growing areas of Barangay Looc, Calamba, Laguna, and in the upland vegetable growing areas of Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet.

Findings:

• Knowledge of the adverse effects of pesticides on health and the environment did not count in the Benguet and Calamba farmers’ decision on pesticide use.
• However, Benguet farmers appreciated the integrated pest management (IPM) because it revived their traditional methods of pest control. The Benguet farmers maintained their inherent closeness to nature. To them, biological control, use of manure and compost, and crop rotation were acceptable farming methods. Similarly, the introduction of IPM to the Calamba farmers was favorably accepted as the level of pesticide application had decreased or at least maintained.
• Gender analysis showed that men have dominant roles in decision making and control of rsources, although both men and women complement in production activities.
• Generally, farmers extensively used chemicals in vegetable production. The insecticide commonly used were Hostathion, Tamaron, Cymbush and Lannate. The fungicides included Dithane, Benlate and Cupravit. In Benguet, some used Diadegma to control diamond backmoth, although farmers claimed that diadegma was not enough, and that the presence of other pests prompted them to apply insecticides.
• The current farmers’ crop protection practices were found to be profitable. Profits were higher with higher levels of insecticide use.
• Prices of organophosphates and synthetic pyrethroids were found to be inelastic, which means than any increase in prices will not significantly reduce demand for insecticides at a certain level. A 10% increase in price will not have a significant reduction in profits as well as in demand. However, a 50% increase in prices is expected to lower the demand, as this is translated to a significant decrease in profit of P700 to P1000/m2.
• There was a high level of awareness on the effects of pesticide residues, and awareness on pesticide policies and guidelines on food safety and environmental protection among vegetable producers, local government officials, pesticide dealers, and vegetable traders. Nevertheless, there was an apparent need for a continuing information campaign about pesticides and the current pesticide policies for the producers, handlers, users of pesticides, and consumers.
• Other recommended adjustment mechanisms to improve pesticide use and pesticide policy implementation were:
  1. Integrated pest management (IPM) technologies or non-chemical technologies for crop protection for lowland and upland vegetables should be developed/improved and promoted/commercialized.
  2. The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) should actively monitor farm and market samples of agricultural produce and disseminate results in non-technical language to the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA).
  3. FPA should recommend corrective policies (pricing and regulatory) for persistent pesticides (e.g., persistent pesticides should be priced higher or banned from the market).
     

Source: PCARRD, 1999. Highlights 1998, Los Banos, Laguna.

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