Toxic farming chemicals banned in Europe are still used widely in Africa despite growing evidence that they harm the environment, food security and possibly human health
concludes that “it is urgent to act now to prevent further deterioration in the sustainability of African agriculture”.
“There is already evidence of widespread environmental contamination from neonicotinoids in Africa. Residues are found in honey from several countries, with some levels similar to or higher than levels found in Europe before the restrictions imposed by the EU.” Moreover, the water solubility of neonicotinoids allows them to spread throughout the environment, contaminating soil and water.
Other harmful effects from lab experiments had been observed in rats as well as in mice, rabbits, birds and fish. Most of the continent’s farmers still rely on traditional methods of crop management, which includes making full use of natural pollinators and the pest control functions of nature. “When launching this programme, the chief executive of the Ghana Cocoa Board stated that ‘hand-pollination had become necessary because the natural agents for pollination – insects – had reduced in numbers through the spraying of chemicals’.”
“Many farmers also believed that the more toxic a pesticide is the better, and routinely spray above recommended doses, with multiples of between 1.5 and five times the recommended dose mentioned by some of the workshop participants.”The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development says it has taken note of the Nasac report on neonicotinoids, but needs more time to consider the report and its recommendations before any regulatory policy decisions are taken.
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