Abstract
Pesticides, regardless of their known toxic impacts to human health and environment, are widely used in the rapid growing agricultural sectors of developing countries. As an agricultural country with small lands and enormous population to feed, a developing country like Bangladesh rely heavily on the uses of pesticides to increase crop yields. Nevertheless, during the past decades, Peoples’ Republic of Bangladesh has experienced 26.46% decrease in total pesticide consumption. However, the presence of unregistered pesticides in the environmental samples and agricultural products has pointed out the weakness in the existing legal regime of the pesticide governance. This, in turn, is threatening the livelihood and health of the farmers, food safety and consumer health. This paper reviews the antiquity of the status of pesticide consumption, evolution and drawbacks of pesticide in the context of existing socio-economic position of Bangladesh. A consolidated uniform system is lacking to project pesticide management in the country. Existing legal policy, rules and regulations in the context of international agreements regarding pesticide management have been reviewed and suggested for further amendment. Moreover, role of green microfinance in sustainable management of pesticides and food safety were recommended. A framework is proposed for pesticide governance with a stronger pesticide surveillance program and coordination of ministries interlinking environmental, occupational health and food safety.
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Abbreviations
- BAEC:
-
Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission
- AI:
-
Active ingredients
- BARC:
-
Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council
- BBS:
-
Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics
- BCPA:
-
Bangladesh Crop Protection Association
- BCSIR:
-
Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research
- BECA:
-
Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act
- BECR:
-
Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Rules
- BFSA:
-
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority
- BSTI:
-
Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution
- CLA:
-
Crop Life Asia
- DAE:
-
Department of Agriculture Extension
- DGHS:
-
Directorate General of Health Services
- DoE:
-
Department of Environment
- ECA:
-
Environmental Court Act
- EU:
-
European Union
- FAO:
-
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- FBCCI:
-
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry
- GDP:
-
Gross domestic product
- GOB:
-
Government of Bangladesh
- GAP:
-
Good agricultural Practice
- HYV:
-
High-yielding variety
- IVM:
-
Integrated vector management
- IPM:
-
Integrated pest management
- IFRB:
-
Institute of Food and Radiation Biology
- MRLs:
-
Maximum residue limits
- MSD:
-
Medical Sub-Depots
- MFIs:
-
Microfinance Institutes
- MoA:
-
Ministry of Agriculture
- MoEF:
-
Ministry of Environment and Forest
- MinLaw:
-
Ministry of Law
- MoHFW:
-
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- MoI:
-
Ministry of Industries
- MoLE:
-
Ministry of Labour and Employment
- MoHFW:
-
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- MoLGRD:
-
Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives
- MoSICT:
-
Ministry of Science and Information Communication Technology
- NAP:
-
National Agricultural Policy
- NIP:
-
National Implementation Plan
- PKSF:
-
Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation
- POPs:
-
Persistent organic pollutants
- PTAC:
-
Pesticide Technical Advisory Committee
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
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Acknowledgements
This project was supported by Jahangirnagar University Science Research Grant on “Occupational Health and Safety Assessment of Farmers using pesticides” and provided to Ms. Mashura Shammi.
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Shammi, M., Hasan, N., Rahman, M.M. et al. Sustainable pesticide governance in Bangladesh: socio-economic and legal status interlinking environment, occupational health and food safety. Environ Syst Decis 37, 243–260 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-017-9628-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10669-017-9628-7