NATIONAL 9 (Spotlight Weelky)]

Vegetables And Pesticides-The Virtual Paradox

By Dhruba N. Manandhar

In recent years, vegetables are being considered as one of the major constituent in daily dietary menu of average Nepalese people. Most Nepalese people these days consume good amount of vegetables possibly in both meals and if not at least in one meal as a supplement of nutrition particularly vitamins and minerals. Thus the demand of vegetables is increasing every year. Vegetables particularly off-season vegetables are getting popular amoung mid-hill farmers as a high priority and high value crop mainly to generate employment and to increase the income of a rural people. However the produce need to be safe because it is consumed by people of all age. The produce could be contaminated with pesticides knowingly or unknowingly by farmers either during growing period or during storage.

Hidden scenario : The priority on vegetable farming given by the government, NGOs, INGOs and donors with the purpose to improve the quality of life of resource poor farming communities is certainly a positive step at the national perspective. But at other hand, because of the increased demand with good market outlets and better price, farmers have been using pesticides in these vegetables indiscriminately at higher dozes with frequent and cocktail spray to protect the increasing incidence of insects, pests and diseases. Thus there is enough reason to assume the fact that there might be certain level of pesticide residue on the produce the farmers harvest at close frequency. Farmers hardly care for waiting period as prescribed for each pesticide.

The Dilemma : The national consumption of pesticide is about 56m tons of a.i. formulation annually. Of the total amount, vegetables crops consume high rate of pesticides as compared to cereal crops. Most people quite frequently might have been consuming vegetables with certain level of pesticide residue. This might cause ill effect on human health depending upon type and amount of pesticide used. At the same time, pesticides as applied in the field will have indirect impact on the deterioration of the environment such as invisible effect on wildlife, pollution of surface and ground water and of course pollution of the air.

The reality : It is quite clear that almost all pesticides can cause illness and to the worse situation, death to the human. The produce might content different levels of pesticide residue however, it should not exceed the maximum residue level (MRL) for consumption purposes. There is an international code of conduct for MRL on food stuff. However each country could set their own standard for MRL showing the governmentís great concerns on the public health. Obviously in Nepal, very little work has been done to document the level of pesticide residue on marketable vegetables. It is interesting to note that most farmers for their home consumption purposes grow vegetables in a separate plot wherein they virtually use none or only limited amount of pesticides.

Proposed strategy : It is high time for immediate initiation by the concerned authorities/organizations for the study on level of pesticide residue on vegetables and also on other foodstuff. It is in fact most tedious, pain taking and skillful task. However it need to be focused initially at potential pocket areas where higher amount of pesticides are used.

Proper attention need to be given for benefit-risk ratio which though may vary depending upon the perception of different socio-economic groups.

This type of study requires multi-disciplinary team with field-based observation, good laboratory facilities, trained manpower, and an integrated approach. This study should take place extensively both at laboratory and at farm levels. Farmers should be well aware of the type, amount and frequency of pesticides they use it to make the study successful.

Several samples at different time of the year need to be collected from the field as well as from the wholesale market. Proper procedures need to be followed in sample collection and in transportation.

Efforts should be made to avoid highly toxic and over use of pesticides. Pesticides should be used judiciously strictly on a need basis.

An overview : This type of study will determine the amount of pesticide residue on marketable vegetables and other foodstuff. This will help at least to draw a borderline for deciding whether the foodstuff is fit for consumption or not. Most importantly this will have an immediate effect on great number of consumers, particularly on their health aspect. Besides, this will also have positive impact on improving the present day environment that is being polluted by the pesticides.

(Mr. Manandhar is a senior scientist at the entomology division at the Nepal Agriculture Research Council)