Sowing the Life for Life

Sowing the Life for Life
A farmer is about to sow his mix-seed

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pesticides in Western Odisha: An Observation

An Overview
It was during the third five year (1961-1966) plan of India when the investment on ‘agriculture’ as a sector was stressed upon, in view of the need of an abundance of wheat and rice. The Sino-Indian war situation had led to inflation and the GDP fell to 2.7 %. In a bid to boost the economy industries, including fertiliser units, came up. The sixth plan (1980-1985) onwards industrial development was stressed upon leading to the beginning of economic liberalisation and an increase in food prices.

In the period of 1989-2002 industrial development was looked upon as a way to economic reforms. But, at the same time increasing poverty also became a concern with the reducing per capita income. As an impact, Orissa, the state of agrarian-culture, rich with traditional knowledge and wisdom on farming and natural resource management had a different story to tell.

The investment on agriculture in the State was reduced from 8.29% of the total state budget in 1992-1997 to 6.14% in 2002-2007. Similarly, the investment on rural development reduced from 10.68% of the total state budget in 1992-1997 to 4.73% in 2002-2007. Subsidies on chemical fertilisers and pesticides have increased many folds. The annual report of the State showed an increase in the consumption of chemical fertilisers from 41kgs per hectare to 53.2 kgs within a period of 2001 to 2007. Similarly, chemical pesticides has also showed the same trend of increase from a consumption quantity of 757 kgs/ha to 812 kgs/ha over a period of 6 years from 2001 to 2007. Added to that the crop loans disbursed to farmers have increased from Rs.754 Cr (in Indian currency) in the year 2001-02 to Rs.2494 Cr in 06-07 (1942 Cr till December of 07-08) in the State. At present, Orissa is being promoted as an Organic State by default, but the increased consumption of chemical fertiliser and pesticide shows that the promotion is definitely without any proof.

The increasing trend of loans definitely reflects an increase in farm input cost and debt on farmers. The report published by National Sample Survey Organization, Government of India in 2005 titled “Situation Assessment Survey – Indebtedness of Farmer Households” says that 47.8% of farmer households in Orissa are indebted. Given such a situation where 83% of the farming communities are small and marginal farmers with 1.25 ha land as an average size of landholding. The increasing debt and increasing chemical inputs poses a real time question on the development initiatives taken by Govt. The Govt. departments have themselves affirmed that the “effects of over usage of chemicals on soil results in soil health deterioration, human health hazards and pollution of the environment”. Impact of chemical pesticides over a time has not remained undercover anymore.

Chemical pesticides have diverse impact on the ecosystem that disturbs the food-link system. The chemical corporations are one of the major factors behind existence of strong pesticide networks even in the extreme corners of the villages. Even with the growing incidences of human poisoning due to chemical pesticides, the multi billion industry with its strong network has succeeded in making farmers believe that chemical fertilizer and pesticides inputs are inevitable for survival. The statistics from National Crime Records Bureau states that out the total cases of suicides happened in the year 2007, 41.8% happened due to consumption of insecticides. Within a time period from 2005-07 according to the National figure, the percentage of other poisons used as a means adopted for committing suicide has reduced from 16.8% to 15%. In comparison the usage of insecticide has increased from 19.6%-19.7%. This reflects that it is not only the powerful industries that makes presence of the chemical stronger but also its handling & storage at the HH level that increases the factor of vulnerability all the more towards human health.

A View from Western Orissa
Bargarh is located in the western most part of the State, may be the first ever victim of Green Revolution. Previewing the history of the district, the planes had a soil type which is best suited for rice cultivation and indeed the primary crops of the district is paddy. It is also said that the type of soil existing in the planes which is a mix of sand and clay harbours less pests. But, increased doses of chemical inputs (in the name of higher productivity) have not only decreased the fertility of the soil but have also invited the pest population* and then the new generations of secondary pests. Presence of active dealers of pesticides and also introduction of high yielding varieties of rice and vegetables has led to increased use of pesticides and rise in frequency of exposure. This has further led to decrease in-farm diversity and loss of local knowledge system to deal with diseases and pests. A group of farmers in Nuapalli village told at least 16 varieties[1] of farm-fishes have died out due to use of pesticides in farm lands. Farmers in return got deskilled and their dependency on the chemical inputs has increased further. Along with the diversity of farmland, the biodiversity of the periphery is also affected. This includes the disappearance of natural pollinators and the natural prey-predator relationship that helped in building ecological balance. Along with this the net profit from crop production is also decreasing.

In Bhutibahal GP, where the discussion had been conducted with the farmers, revealed that out of a sample of 18 farmers in one village, more than 70% have shown symptoms of mild hazards due to impact of pesticide spray. The village is a paddy grower’s village and in the Panchayat (including the village) organo-chlorine, organophosphate and carbamate are the primary groups of insecticides used in paddy and other vegetables. Vegetables like brinjal (egg plant), cabbage and chilli are mostly cultivated for cash. Endosulfan and Monochrotophos (belongs to the organophosphate class) are highly used pesticides which are classified under WHO Class-1a and WHO Class-1b hazardous pesticides respectively. The spraying time is normally between 7 AM to 11 AM which is considered as a risk period in a day for spraying. Most pollinators are found in the cool sun light especially in the morning time when the pesticide spray is being taken place. Round the year at an average if calculated once a week would be the frequency of spray. If 2 acres are the average land holding then the farmer is exposed to 5-8 tanks of spray i.e. 75 litres to 120 litres of water with 150 ml of endosulfan every week. Every frequency of spray takes 3 days of time for completion. This accounts to 156 days of risk exposure of pesticide every year. And tracing back the history of pesticide used, especially endosulfan is being used for last 10 years in the village according to a village elderly farmer. It raises serious concerns for the upcoming escalation of health hazards in the area and the depleting biodiversity. There have been already reports of women having multiple abortions, sterility and other gynaecological disorders. Also, with the recent ban on monochrotophos by CIB in the neighbouring State, Andhra Pradesh and already established impacts of endosulfan in Kerala, there is a need to visualise the dangers towards its usage, storage and promotion more critically.

Given such vulnerabilities where women and children become even more susceptible, there is a need for farmers to identify the extent of toxicity due to these groups of pesticides. It is also important for them to recognise its visible impacts on their health and find out an alternative to farming system without the use of chemical inputs.

We intend to make an attempt to identify and regulate norms of usage, storage, disposal of pesticides with farmers doing paddy cultivation as their primary crop and also recognise symptoms of pesticide poisoning. In the process, farmers would explore their existing traditional pest management knowledge systems and will try to establish solutions to the chemicalness in the farm lands by adopting environment friendly agrarian technology.

*Plant consumes more nutrients available in ready-made form in the chemical fertilizers and grows faster. Thus, due to more starch matter in the plant, the plant looks more dense green and for the insect’s vision more deep which in turn invites the pest. Hence, the chemical fertilizer exposure increases the insect instances and then pesticide uses.
[1] Varieties of farm fish (Bargarh Dist, Nuapali Village): "Dalia", "Bainri","Kharasa","Jia Macha","Seula", "Thuru","Tengini", "Kuturi,"Dandia", "jhein","Jasa/Dasa","Madrel", "darata/baranda","singhi", "desi magura".

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