Pesticides by definition are chemicals used to control pests and pesticide poisoning occurs when it affects organisms it was not supposed to (aka non-target organisms)
Depending on the organisms they target, there are various kinds of pesticides such as
Herbicide – kill unwanted plants and weeds, and may change the properties of soil microbial communitiesInsecticide – Kill unwanted insect communities that may otherwise damage the cultivated crops
Nematicide – They are used to kill nematodes which are microscopic parasitic worms
Molluscicide- They are used to kill molluscs such as octopi and squids
Piscicide- Kill fishes, rotenone is a common example
Lampricide – Kill Sea lampreys, TFM and Bayluscide are the most used.
Avicides- Kill birds, Avitrol is a common example
Rodenticide – Kill rodents such as rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, beavers, porcupines and others.
Other pesticides include bactericides, Insect repellents, Animal repellents, microbicides, and fungicides.
Above pesticides may be natural-based or synthetically manufactured. The following categorization will help you get an idea of the chemical classification of pesticides;
Natural: Pyrethrum, Azadirachtin
Synthetic:
Organophosphates – DDT, BHC
Organochlorines – Malathion, Temephos, Fenthion
Carbamates- Propoxur, Carbaryl
Pyrethroids- Deltamethrin, Permethrin
So, you must have got an idea by now what pesticides are and what they do. The key issue, however, is something else. While these chemicals protect your crops against various pests, insects, rodents and whatnot, they have a dark side as well. Do you know that in 1990, a task force from WHO estimated the number of unintentional pesticide poisoning cases [1] Surprisingly, the number was one million annually and around 20,000 of them resulted in the death of the person involved. Not just this, pesticides have been used to commit suicide as well. Self-poisoning with pesticides accounts for 110,000–168,000 deaths, which is 14-20% of the global suicides [2].
Self-harming is a disheartening act, isn’t it?
It is worse that it is quite easy to suicide using pesticides because of their widespread availability and low costs. This is especially the case with farmers. Pesticides are the most accessible poisons for them, chiefly in middle- and low-income countries [3].
For Farmers, the reason for suicide may vary from poor social and financial security to alcohol addiction, high costs of chemicals, agricultural equipment and labor, or heavy loan distress and pesticides are one reachable way to end their lives. Whether it is intentional or unintentional poisoning, farmers are the most vulnerable group when it comes to pesticide poisoning because they are the ones most exposed to these chemicals.
So, what have we done to change the scenario? Quite a lot actually and what was the result. Let us see:
Farmers are exposed to pesticides while mixing, spraying and handling them and this exposure is much more than the one faced by consumers. To reduce this, various personal protective equipment such as gloves, boots, hats, long sleeve shirts, and chemical-resistant coveralls can be worn during pesticide handling.
However, it is important, that farmers be given sufficient training and knowledge to use the equipment properly.
In a study conducted in North Greece, the impact of training farmers on pesticide usage was accessed and it was found that training resulted in elevated safety behaviour [4].
Every few months, websites are launched, educational materials are published and guidelines are developed. All these are incredibly important to uplift the knowledge base of farmers. Not just this, we need to train them through structured programs for the effective use of PPEs and access the effectiveness of implementing new methods and techniques.
Such cohesive approaches and continuous evaluation are needed to safeguard our farmer brothers against unintentional exposures. Tackling suicides, however, will need us to address the core issues pushing them towards self-harm.
As consumers, It is our responsibility to give back the grace we receive from them in the form of crops, raw materials for our industries and much more. It is time we attend to their concerns, understand their problems and do whatever is possible from our end, be it in the form of research, new policies, or innovations.
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