By Obiabin Onukwugha
Pesticides are designed to kill or control pests that can damage crops, spread diseases, or harm the environment. While they have undoubtedly played a role in improving agricultural productivity, there are devastating side effects and hazards associated with them, which must not be overlooked.
In light of the above, there is need to employ safer methods of preserving crops such as integrated pest management, biological pest control and use of bio-pesticides.
These were the submissions of foremost environmentalist, Nnimmo Bassey at a training Organised by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), for Legal Practitioners and Rights Groups in Abuja on Tuesday November 7.
The environmentalist posited that pesticides, because of poor regulation and management, have devastating consequences for human and environmental health and by extension, human rights.
According to Bassey, pesticides have been linked to a wide range of health issues, including cancers, neurological disorders, reproductive problems, and diverse ways of poisoning of farmworkers.
He said: “The use of pesticides has dire consequences for our right to life and health. Many pesticides are highly hazardous and cause acute and chronic health problems when people are exposed to them.”
Bassey recalled the poisoning in 2020 which occurred in Benue State where about 270 persons lost their lives after their water source was contaminated with Endosulphan.
He said: “These impacts disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, including agricultural workers, who often lack the necessary protection and awareness of the risks associated with exposure to pesticides.
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“Our right to a clean and healthy environment, a fundamental human right, is also under threat from the indiscriminate use of pesticides.
“Pesticides contaminate soil, water, and air, affecting ecosystems and wildlife. The loss of biodiversity and the contamination of natural resources undermine our capacity to sustain life on this planet, affecting the rights of present and future generations. It directly negates basic rights such as the right to a satisfactory environment as enshrined in article 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
Bassey, who is the Executive Director of HOMEF further stated that while pesticides are used to protect crops, their residues can end up in the food we consume, thus posing health risks.
He also said the presence of pesticide residues in our food can lead to food safety issues, thus undermining our right to access safe and nutritious food, particularly for those already struggling with food insecurity.
“Excessive pesticide residue in our food products currently affects our exports as these products are rightly rejected in international markets. Besides, pesticides also kill non target species, and this has damaging impacts on the webs of life.
“Our right to participation and information is also at stake when it comes to pesticides. Many individuals and communities affected by highly hazardous pesticides lack access to crucial information about the chemicals being used near their homes or the potential health risks they face. This lack of information hampers their ability to make informed decisions about their environment and well-being.”
He called the federal government to enact laws that will check the use of pesticides and adequately sensitise farmers on the associated dangers so as to check the devasting effects on human lives in the country.
“It is time to enact and enforce stricter regulations on the use of pesticides, with a focus on protecting human health and the environment. It is also time to encourage and support the development and adoption of alternative pest management methods, such as integrated pest management, biological pest control and use of bio-pesticides.
“Agricultural workers must be empowered with the knowledge and tools to protect themselves from pesticide exposure. We need to urgently empower and revive our extension service system such that farmers in local communities are equipped with the right knowledge. The wider public must be informed of the highly hazardous pesticides, including the types, quantities, and locations.
“Pesticides can no longer be seen as a quick solution to agricultural challenges. Neither should GMOs. It is our duty to protect and preserve nature’s resources; to preserve our food culture and heritage. To do this, we must retrace our steps and recall every decision/permit that threaten our individual and collective wellbeing and that of the environment,” Bassey stated.
