Georgetown: Cognizant of the fact that farmers heavily rely on the use of pesticides to ensure that pest and diseases do not affect their crops and livelihood; the irresponsible and unsafe use by many was highlighted at a Pesticide awareness programme launched in Cane Grove today.
In an effort to heighten awareness on proper storage of chemicals, the Pesticide Toxic and Chemical Controls Board (PTCCB) today launched a 3 year pilot project which was held under the theme, “Enhancing and Promoting Sound Chemicals Management through Safe Storage of Pesticides.
It aims to equip 150 pesticide users with storage Cabinet during 2014.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Leslie Ramsammy delivering remarks at today’s event underscored the importance of such a project in ensuring that pesticides are not used in an irresponsible manner, hence reducing the number of suicide cases and affects peoples health in other ways.
Much has been done over the years by the Pesticide Board in ensuring that pesticides accessibility is restricted to authorized users. This has seen farmers, vendors and students from various schools across the country benefit from training programmes on proper storage and awareness.
The PTCCB has been focusing its efforts also to prevent pesticide harm to children. This new awareness program target two aspects of negative use of pesticide, sustainable ecology and environment and human health.
Today’s event is another in a series of initiatives by the Pesticide Board with the aim of enhancing stakeholder participation and information sharing on mechanism for chemicals management in Guyana.
“The aim of today’s program is to ensure farmers are able to store chemicals properly…however while we are implementing ways in which this can be done manufacturers and their local agents must also play a part in ensuring proper storage of pesticide,” he said.
Minister Ramsammy called on others to come on board with the project to ensure that all farmers benefit since presently the Pesticide Board is not in the position to distribute storage Cabinets to all farmers.
During the launch of the pilot project, ten farmers benefited from Storage Cabinet through a lottery process whereby farmers were issued with a number from the Pesticide Board where a drawing process was conducted and the lucky farmers walked away with Storage Cabinets.
The pilot project targets farming communities in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10.
Registrar of the Pesticide Board, Trecia David-Garnett informed farmers of the criteria for the Lottery process which include;-
a) Must be from agriculture communities
b) Communities also exhibit high suicide rates in keeping with data from Ministry of Health
c) Must make cabinet available to other users as a demonstration of proper storage techniques
d) Must use cabinets for storage of PESTICIDES ONLY
e) Must be in attendance at planned pesticides awareness programme where lottery will occur
f) Use of farmers data base from Ministry of Agriculture where applicable
g) Higher allocations to most suicide prone communities
The programme was also endorsed by Chairman of the Pestidice Board Dr. Leslie Monroe who called on all players to ensure that pesticides are used in a responsible manner.
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