Pesticide hazards and sustainable livelihoods in Africa Ethiopian farm workers mixing pesticides prior to application. Although less pesticides are used in Africa than in other continents, highly toxic products are applied in inappropriate conditions by women and men with no training or product information. Unlike the Benin case, many deaths go unreported. At a January meeting in Benin, partners reported on their increased capacity to address pesticides issues. The research and information base has established poisoning incident databases, and documentation of indigenous pest control strategies.
Improved resources attract researchers, academics and the media.
But the first commitment is to help reduce farmers' exposure to hazards in their daily lives, promote affordable alternatives to the spiralling cost of chemical inputs, and prevent adverse environmental impacts. All partners have begun field training programmes with poor farmers in areas of high pesticide use mainly in cotton and vegetable production. This project is fully supported by the UK National Lottery Charities Board. Pesticides and food security Partners in PAN Africa's Farmer Field School identify the insects they are collecting from their vegetables. Photo Barbara Dinham Growing numbers of smallholder farmers in the South now use pesticides routinely when they can afford them, especially on vegetables and other cash crops, but also on food crops for household consumption.