Responsible Pesticide Management for Sustainable Food System

Earlier this year, we’re reported on the death of a child who ingested a pesticide in the north, as well as a case of a water system in the south being contaminated with a pesticide. This week, however, is being recognised as Pesticide Awareness Week and the focus this year is responsible pesticide management for sustainable food system. The theme is “Pesticides are Harmful to our Health and the Environment; reduce the Use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides.”  In Belize, these types of pesticides are still widely used in agriculture.  Registrar of the Pesticides Control Board in Belize, Miriam Ochaeta-Serrut says that it is a global concern.

Miriam Ochaeta-Serrut

Miriam Ochaeta-Serrut, Registrar, Pesticides Control Board

“The World Health Organization has listed HHPs as one of ten chemicals or groups of chemicals of major public health concern. The C.G.P.C. and the Belize Pesticides Control Board join the global community of pesticide regulators and international organizations to bring awareness of the health and environmental issues associated with HHPs. Concerted action is needed on this group of pesticides that is causing most acute and chronic toxic problems. At the international level, a global action plan is being developed with the main goal of eliminated the harm posed by HHPs and to achieve HHP-free food production, including, encouraging and supporting stakeholders’ initiatives to drastically reduce HPP use in agriculture by 2030. In Belize, the Pesticides Control Board under the auspices of its Grow Safe Campaign is collaborating with its strategic partners to reduce reliance on HHPs by promoting the adoption of agro-ecologically based approaches and alternatives for the sustainable intensification of agricultural production, reducing reliance on highly hazardous pesticides and adopting sustainable pest control strategies, contribute to healthy ecosystems that produce more, prevent or maintain pests and diseases at acceptable levels and that are more resilient to climate change shocks.”