Saving agriculture from deadly inputs
Saturday, 27 September 2008
Mozammel Hussain
The police have at times been seizing some quantities of date-barred insecticides being sold by the "agents" at some parts of the country. According to reports in the media, the staff of such companies admitted to the police, during questioning that date-expired insecticides were being sold among the farmers for long.
The use of insecticides is discouraged by many scientists and environmentalists considering their hazardous properties.
In Bangladesh, the official policy, of late, seems to be in favour of naturally protective ways of farming without insecticides. One shudders to think about the severe multiple harmful effects of the use of insecticides, long past the safety period. This increases the risk to human health manifold. Also its toxicity is bound to caused an extra harm to the soil where it is applied.
Bangladesh appears to have also become a destination for marketing spurious and sub-standard fertilisers. Last year, a big consignment of such fertilisers were seized by the law enforcement agencies. In that case also, the company owners of the seized fertilisers confessed that they were importing such substandard and spurious fertilisers for long. One frequently comes across the news of the farmers getting duped to buying sub-standard fertilisers, which can degrade soil.
Farmers and agriculture in Bangladesh have been paying dearly for such abuses and dangerous practices for long time.
Poor quality, and environmentally risky products are sold at high prices. As a result production target cannot be achieved. These inputs are gradually destroying soil fertility. Besides, dangerous toxins are harming human beings, who consume the crops raised by using such inputs.
Productivity loss of agriculture, a mainstay for the national economy, costs the nation heavily requiring immediate countrywide preventive steps against such trading. Stern law enforcement measures are needed to stop all this.
The well-being of the people needs proper policies and their effective implementation.
The farmers must get the agro-inputs they need in adequate quantities and at fair prices. No less important is to ensure the supply of unquestionable quality of inputs.
The police have at times been seizing some quantities of date-barred insecticides being sold by the "agents" at some parts of the country. According to reports in the media, the staff of such companies admitted to the police, during questioning that date-expired insecticides were being sold among the farmers for long.
The use of insecticides is discouraged by many scientists and environmentalists considering their hazardous properties.
In Bangladesh, the official policy, of late, seems to be in favour of naturally protective ways of farming without insecticides. One shudders to think about the severe multiple harmful effects of the use of insecticides, long past the safety period. This increases the risk to human health manifold. Also its toxicity is bound to caused an extra harm to the soil where it is applied.
Bangladesh appears to have also become a destination for marketing spurious and sub-standard fertilisers. Last year, a big consignment of such fertilisers were seized by the law enforcement agencies. In that case also, the company owners of the seized fertilisers confessed that they were importing such substandard and spurious fertilisers for long. One frequently comes across the news of the farmers getting duped to buying sub-standard fertilisers, which can degrade soil.
Farmers and agriculture in Bangladesh have been paying dearly for such abuses and dangerous practices for long time.
Poor quality, and environmentally risky products are sold at high prices. As a result production target cannot be achieved. These inputs are gradually destroying soil fertility. Besides, dangerous toxins are harming human beings, who consume the crops raised by using such inputs.
Productivity loss of agriculture, a mainstay for the national economy, costs the nation heavily requiring immediate countrywide preventive steps against such trading. Stern law enforcement measures are needed to stop all this.
The well-being of the people needs proper policies and their effective implementation.
The farmers must get the agro-inputs they need in adequate quantities and at fair prices. No less important is to ensure the supply of unquestionable quality of inputs.