Muscat: Environmental studies have shown that the damage of pesticides is transmitted to humans, animals and the environment through several methods, like the transferring of the pesticide or parts of it through touching, inhalation or through it coming in contact with the mouth, eyes, or indirectly through the consumption of food, water and air contaminated with the effects of pesticides.
Banned pesticides and improper methods of using licensed pesticides on agricultural crops cause many collateral damages to the environment, which negatively affects human health, animals and plants through multiple spraying methods of pesticides.
Engineer Nasr bin Saif Al Shamsi, Director of the Plant Protection Department at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, said that the frequent use of pesticides leads to the destruction of soil fertility and pollution. It is one of the most dangerous pollutants on the environment and soil. It also causes harm to beneficial living organisms and the destruction of biodiversity, when it damages non-target crops as well as animals, including birds that die after eating granular pesticides, in addition to the death of fish in polluted water and livestock that may die or become unproductive through exposure to pesticides, or develop glandular dysfunction, decreased fertility, and immune system dysfunction.
And he indicated that the improper use of pesticides causes soil pollution when pesticide particles stick to it, indicating that it causes more toxic pollution than that that occurs as a result of the presence of a single pesticide. The death of fish and aquatic plants, resulting in the risk of chronic pesticide poisoning for anyone who consumes these fish or plants.
He noted that non-compliance with the instructions issued by the manufacturer and producer of the pesticide, ignorance and negligence of the dangers of the chemical substance and the degree of its toxicity results in harm to humans, plants and animals, adding that the use of the pesticide on plants in high concentrations leads to burns and wilting of plants in addition to its effect on the taste, color and shape of the fruits, which loses their economic value. In addition to the negative impact on human health of pesticide residues in agricultural crops.
He noted that non-compliance with the instructions issued by the manufacturer and producer of the pesticide, ignorance and negligence of the dangers of the chemical substance and the degree of its toxicity results in harm to humans, plants and animals, adding that the use of the pesticide on plants in high concentrations leads to burns and wilting of plants in addition to its effect on the taste, color and shape of the fruits, which loses their economic value. In addition to the negative impact on human health of pesticide residues in agricultural crops.
He continued: The agricultural control team is working on a set of specific programs that contribute to creating a suitable climate for agricultural development in line with the general objectives of the ministry, including: the program of inspection and control of farms and the management of agricultural pesticide residues in vegetable crops, which includes collecting samples of the fruits of winter and summer vegetable crops. From farms, analyze samples collected from farms, identify residues of various pesticides, and then match the results of analyzes with specifications and regulations, in addition to educating farmers about the need to observe safety periods for pesticides and follow instructions.
He explained that during the year 2022, the oversight staff made approximately 1,710 visits to local farms, and 263 crop samples were taken to ensure agricultural pesticide residues, and as a result, approximately 97% of the samples were found free of pesticide residues, and 3% of the samples were positive, and legal measures were taken for violators.
He concluded by saying: Despite the importance of pesticides as one of the important agricultural production inputs in the management of agricultural pests, the irrational use of them or the use of unlicensed or prohibited products without observing the instructions contained in the packages or issued by the Ministry can lead to adverse results affecting the health of the crops. And the safety of the users of pesticides, plants and their products, or the environment, pointing out that the entry of unskilled labor has led to the depletion of many agricultural resources, such as water, exhaustion and destruction of the soil without any regard for the importance of these resources and the need to preserve them.
