Causes and management of pesticides contamination in agriculture: A review

Abstract

The development and application of pesticides such as insecticides, fungicides, herbicides/weedicides, rodenticides, nematicides and other registered and unregistered materials for pests’ control during crop production, have come with their accompanied risks of contamination in the environment. Failure by applicators in following safety protocols associated with pesticide application, handling, storage and disposal leads to contamination and poisoning of water sources, nearby food and feed materials, beneficial animals, applicators themselves and other farm workers. This review considered dangers associated with pesticides contaminations and poisonings, events that lead to pesticides contaminations, common symptoms and disorders of pesticides poisonings, types and classes of pesticides, groups that are vulnerable to pesticides contaminations and poisonings. It also focused on some best alternative measure to employ in order to curb hazards associated with pesticides use. To achieve this, there is a need for proper implementation, strengthen of government’s pesticides regulatory bodies and enforcement of related regulations. Stakeholder fora and intensification of education on pesticides use, handling, storage and disposal for dealers, distributors and the users are required. Also, the production and release of detoxifying agents into industrial drainage systems, water sources that can potentially be contaminated as well as into farmlands and the environment, is necessary to ensure effective management and reductions in the incidences of pesticides contaminations. It is thus, necessary to enforce the much needed precautions and alternative measures required to mitigate global and local cases of pesticide hazards.

Keywords: Contaminations, Crop production, Environment, Pesticides, Precautionary measures