Health and Environmental Hazards Associated with Agricultural Pesticides in Ethiopia

Abstract

The use of chemical pesticide in Ethiopian agriculture has a steady historically growth and strongly associated with the need to boost crop production and expansion in a high-input floriculture industry. An increased crop production and productivity is mainly dependent on effective and efficient pest management strategies. Recently, achieving these strategic goals of the sector seems to be impossible without intensive use of synthetic pesticides. Unfortunately, the chemical-based option of pest management was not able to deliver only the positively intended purpose of managing pests. It has raised a potential menace not only to public health and the environment but also to the fast-growing economy of the country. The main objective of this review was to highlight the negative health and environmental impacts of agricultural pesticides in Ethiopia. Literature based comprehensive review was made with the intention to influence stake holders in the sector to recognize the negative impact of agricultural pesticides to help them to devise a mitigating strategy and finally the authors tried to indicate solutions on this regard. Health conditions such as dizziness, nausea, skin and eye irritations, headache, vomiting and general discomfort after spraying are some of the self-reported direct health problems. Other chronic non-reported health problems/deaths were also associated with misuse (handling and disposal) of pesticides. Mismanagement of pesticides kills important organisms and are damaging to the biodiversity. Moreover, an intensive, non-responsible use of pesticides has increased the cost of pest management, accelerated the development of new pests and/or resistant strains (races) of pests and negatively affected the international trade of farm produces. Lack of awareness (poor pesticide management, disposal; and limited use of complete PPEs), obsolete pesticide stocks, prolonged storage, poor storage facilities, the lack of trained staff and national legislation for pesticide registration and monitoring system in the country are the main reasons associated with pesticide risks. Harmonized agriculture development policy, capacity building, organic farming, IPM compatible pesticides and gender-sensitive education will change the risk of agricultural pesticides.