Singapore, 10 September 2008
Industry group moves to prevent self harm among farmers in Asia: World Suicide Prevention Day
“We train farmers to store and lock pesticides in robust boxes and keep them out of the reach of children. In Sri Lanka, for instance, we have distributed more than 1,000 boxes and locks this year to leading farmers and community leaders at no charge to encourage other farmers to construct their own boxes from locally sourced materials.”
-Martin Gibson, Stewwardship Director, CropLife Asia
|
|
10 September, 2008 (Singpore) –The plant science industry is taking serious steps to train farmers in Asia to use pesticides responsibly, with the aim of preventing accidental poisoning and intentional self harm. The initiatives include programs to train farmers about the proper handling of pesticides, their secure storage, proper disposal of empty containers and the training of medical professionals to aid treatment.
CropLife Asia’s secure storage programmes, some of which are conducted in partnership with agriculture and health ministries in the region, have been of benefit to around 150,000 farmers in Asia in 2008. The success of the programmes has spurred CropLife Asia, an industry association representing the plant science industry, to extend more training to farmers in the region in 2009 and beyond.
“Safe and secure on-farm storage of crop protection products is a critical component of product stewardship and is a subject that is taught to farmers in many of our sponsored projects in countries such as China, India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Thailand,” says Martin Gibson, CropLife Asia’s Stewardship Director.
“We train farmers to store and lock pesticides in robust boxes and keep them out of the reach of children. In Sri Lanka, for instance, we have distributed more than 1,000 boxes and locks this year to leading farmers and community leaders at no charge to encourage other farmers to construct their own boxes from locally sourced materials,” he adds.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, CropLife Asia reiterates its commitment to minimize the risk of accidental poisoning among farmers and applicators through measures including training farmers on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Good Agriculture Practices.
“Research shows that many suicidal acts are extremely impulsive and if the means are not immediately available during this vulnerable period, lives can be saved,” said Alex Yau, Regional Stewardship Manager of Syngenta APAC, who also chairs the CropLife Asia’s Stewardship Project Leadership Team.
“Secure access is a simple, clear, practical and positive direction that the entire industry is working on to minimize the unfortunate misuse of its products,” Yau adds.
This complements CropLife Asia’s training in IPM and the responsible use of pesticides, where farmers learn how to identify plant diseases and infestations and make appropriate decisions on the type and amount of pesticide to use, including following the exact instructions on the labels. These directions help farmers to effectively manage pests, protect their harvests, minimize residue and contribute to food safety.
