शुक्रबार, चैत्र १६, २०८०

Poison: the hidden secret vs the organic

Nowadays to fulfil the urge of the growing population a poison is being used named pesticides in the field of agriculture. Let me remind you what happens when marginal farmers in the vision of improving the production uses pesticides haphazardly. In August 1994 Shangdong province, China suffered from pesticides poisoining in sweet potato crops due to inadequate information about the insecticides. They used parathion instead of trichlorophon. With such growing speed of using pesticides I am afraid that such we wont face such situation in future. Agrovets are supplying what they have not what they were supposed to give as they themselves lack proper knowledge. So my question to you is are you eating the safe food?
Our country has also banned 21 chemicals so far which includes DDT, Chlorden, dieldrin, endrin, aldrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphen, BHC, organomercury fungicide, lindane, phosphamidon, methyl parathion, monocrotocophos etc due to their high toxicit, persistant nature and impose severe effects on human health as well. Are you unknowing selling or using it? Pesticides has helped us a lot in production aspects.What is the problem if it helping us .It is found from research that 98% of insecticides and 95% of herbicide affected the non target host. When it is used to control the pest of the crops it is found that several of them leave the residue on the food also which move down to the food systems through bioaccumulation and reach to vegetables, fruit,meat, poultry,fish, vegetable oils and even to drinking water. According to USFWS it is estimated that we are losing $250 million a year due to loss of honey bee colonies due to pesticides effect. More than that the pesticides residue which come to us via food has several effect upon us. Problems starting from irritation,tumours, blood and nerve disorders and even death are heared from due to pesticides residue in food. So what to do then?
Starting up with temporary solution is that we have to wash the agricultural food items frequently after dipping it in salt solution for about 5-10 minutes. It helps to remove the contact pesticides only. For systemic pesticides we have to change our concept from conventional food to organic food.This is the permanent solution if available.In organic farming there is no use of synthetic agrochemicals. It has so many benefits. Firstly the organic foods are though little expensive possessed comparatively better nutrition to our body. A research paper of 2016 held in Europe concluded that the omega-3 fatty acid was 50% along with some other nutrient in organic meat and milk of more than the conventional one. Instead of spending money in medicine later it’s intelligent to purchase a little organic food.Not only health the organic farming helps to maintain the environment as a whole. This farming holds the principles of health where the health of soil, plant, animal, human and planet is enhanced, principles of ecology which focus on maintaining the ecological cycles, principles of fairness where the producers till distributors even the animal right are taken into account and finally the principles of care which focus on maintaining the future generation along with the present demands. This was the traditional farming system which the farmers of our country has been practicing especially in hilly regions. Yet we have only 0.3% area of production certified as organic. This innovative will take the agriculture to attain sustainability as a whole and save our country from eliminating hunger or malnutrition. In long run dependency on other countries in food can be overcome. Situation will arouse where we will start to export to the countries from whom we used to import. We don’t have to do so much efforts as we are rich in geographical diversity, water resources and the traditional knowledge. This can be a good platform to the youngsters who is thinking to do something in the country. Also to the emigrants who are seeking for financial stability. Apart from it we can explore our indigenous and minor foods to the world as well. But the problem is we don’t want to come out from this poisonous food. We are okay with it.
John F. Kennedy speech says “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” Time has come to think about coming out from the dependency for food from our neighbouring countries. Our small step can change our life, health, environment and this planet earth as a whole. Like Jumla: we can turn each districts as organic districts which is very important from eco-tourism aspects as well. -By: Pradip KC

प्रकाशित मिति: शुक्रबार, कार्तिक १४, २०७७