And in Andhra Pradesh, India, in early 1998, indebtedness caused 350 farmers to commit suicide. There may be short-term savings in production costs and perhaps solutions to isolated problems, though their adoption will increase the corporate stranglehold over farmers. In the longer term, rapid increases in resistance, the toxic effect on natural predators and soil microbes coupled with GMO instability and unpredictability may increase chemical inputs and could have devastating effects on the land's natural productivity and biodiversity. To achieve real food security, we need to progress from industrial to sustainable agriculture operating low input to fully organic systems. Pesticides New Internationalist presents worrying facts about pesticides.
New Internationalist looks at the banana industry.
Africa , agriculture , trade Farmers' World Network FWn is a development education organisation, dedicated to raising awareness of key issues in world agricultural production, distribution and trade. An independent body working to eliminate the hazards of pesticides.