Lok Sabha Question No. 154 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-11
Subject: Dangers of Improper Use of Pesticides by Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 154

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## DANGERS OF IMPROPER USE OF PESTICIDES BY FARMERS

154.   DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that    several    farmers'    especially    in  Maharashtra have died due  to the use of pesticides in their farms;
- (b) if so, the specific steps being taken by  the  Government  to  educate  farmers about  the manner  in  using  pesticides, adopting protective gear and other safety measures;
- (c) the total number of Farmers Field  Schools that have been organized by the Government for  farmers  across  the  country  in  the  last  year,  the  number  of  farmers  have  benefited    from these  schools,  the  details thereof, State-wise;
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  willing  to    revise    existing    schemes    on    imparting information to farmers on use of pesticides, in  light  of  the  dangers  being  posed  to farmers by  their  lack  of  knowledge  in  using  pesticides,  and  to  restructure  them  to  make  them  more effective;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a): As  reported  by  the  Maharashtra  Government  during  2017-18,  death  of  63  farm labours/farmers   have been reported due to mishandling of pesticides.
- (b) & (c): The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare is implementing  'Strengthening  and  Modernization  of  Pest  Management  Approach'  (SMPMA) Scheme, wherein, inter alia, Farmers Field Schools (FFSs) are organized to sensitize farmers on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach and to use chemical pesticides as a last resort as per approved labels and leaflets. The details of the FFSs organized under SMPMA Scheme in the last year is at Annexure I.
- (d) & (e): The  existing  'Strengthening  and  Modernization  of  Pest  Management  Approach' (SMPMA) scheme is propagating and popularising Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as an alternative strategy of pest management. The scheme is being bolstered and used rigorously in those regions and crops which are highly susceptible to pests.
- (f): Does not arise.

## Annexure-I Details of Farmers Field Schools during the year 2017-18 under SMPMA Scheme

| S.No.   | State/ UT         |   No. of FFSs |
|---------|-------------------|---------------|
| 1       | Telangana         |            22 |
| 2       | Andhra Pradesh    |             8 |
| 3       | Assam             |            42 |
| 4       | A &NIslands *     |            12 |
| 5       | Arunachal Pradesh |             8 |
| 6       | Bihar             |            28 |
| 7       | Chhattisgarh      |            18 |
| 8       | Goa               |            10 |
| 9       | Gujarat           |            16 |
| 10      | Haryana           |            34 |
| 11      | Himachal Pradesh  |            18 |
| 12      | Jammu& Srinagar   |            22 |
| 13      | Jharkhand         |            16 |
| 14      | Karnataka         |            44 |
| 15      | Kerala            |            44 |
| 16      | Madhya Pradesh    |            14 |
| 17      | Meghalaya         |            12 |
| 18      | Maharashtra       |            46 |
| 19      | Manipur           |            12 |
| 20      | Mizoram           |            12 |
| 21      | Nagaland          |             8 |
| 22      | Odisha            |            20 |
| 23      | Punjab            |            20 |
| 24      | Rajasthan         |            46 |
| 25      | Sikkim            |            12 |
| 26      | Tamil Nadu        |            18 |
| 27      | Tripura           |             6 |
| 28      | Uttarakhand       |            26 |
| 29      | Uttar Pradesh     |            92 |
| 30      | West Bengal       |            28 |
| Total   | Total             |           714 |

* UT included

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