Minigh, Howard. Pesticide Innovation Indicates Changing Industry. Retrieved January 28, 2019, from https://www.agribusinessglobal.com/agrichemicals/pesticide-innovation-indicates-changing-industry/
Industries are investing in more efficient tools which reduce pests using less pesticides. Furthermore, according to the classification of the World Health Organization (WHO) of toxicity from Class 1 to Class U, there has been a 40% reduction in toxicity levels in pesticides since the 1960s. Despite technological advances, some countries are still unable to gain access to them. Take for instance, fall armyworm (FAW), a destructive pest in Nigeria, which is unable to be controlled because the government lacks the capacity to approve the necessary products or campaigners advocating for alternatives argue against such use. Thereby the cause is that FAW is widespread and unmaintainable for farmers in Nigeria. There are many other countries such as Nigeria whom have been restricted in the use of efficient pesticides integral in maintaining pest populations.
This article relates to environmental science because not only are countries like Nigeria suffering from the lack of technology, but other areas around the world are also facing similar restrictions in combating pests and increasing agricultural productivity. The world has already created new technology, although some countries, mainly in Europe, are hesitant in the implementation of pesticides, insecticides, or genetically modified foods, because of certain side effects. In the future, countries may be more supportive of agricultural controls because of technology advances in protecting crops or altering crops. The industry of agricultural protection seems to still be expanding. As a result, this may help some countries by using safer products to meet the harsh impacts of climate change, increasing population, and protection of biodiversity.
I think you make a good point about advocating for safer forms of agricultural protection. When you say that industries are investing in new tools that would reduce pests with less pesticides, do you mean that pesticides are becoming more efficient? Or do you mean that there are new tools that fight pests without the use of chemical pesticides?
It is great that our use of pesticides is declining, and that our pesticides are becoming more efficient and less toxic. How can we decrease the use of pesticides in less developed countries and deal with situations like the fall armyworm in Nigeria?
I mean that pesticides are becoming more efficient. Farmers are able to combat the same number of pests using less pesticides than they would have before.
I don’t think we can specifically prevent the use of pesticides in other countries. We can however for ourselves create coercive incentives for companies or people that buy crops from other countries that use pesticides recklessly.
Thanks for reading Emilie and Emily!