Excessive usage of chemicals on crops are creating health and environmental hazards requiring to promote bio-pesticides of insects in the agriculture sector across the country.
Addressing the training workshop titlee “Aflatoxin biocontrol – an innovative approach regulatory harmonization in Pakistan for Maximum Residuals Limits and biopesticides,” the University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Dr Iqrar Ahmad said the chemical control of insects is posing a serious threat to health, environment and ecosystem.
The UAF Department of Entomology organized the workshop. He said excessive usage of chemicals on crops was creating health and environmental hazards and in the given circumstances adoption of the latest scientific trends are need of the hour to fight agricultural challenges. By adopting such practices, he said we could ensure food security and public health.
Dr Ahmed said pests and diseases are a continuous problem for farmers throughout the growing season for which bio control must be promoted. He said the agriculture sector was directly linked to poverty alleviation.
Dean Agriculture Dr Muhammad Sarwar called for promoting the biocontrol of insects. Chemical control is a common solution, however, harmful to human and animal health and the use of pesticides also leads to export confiscation in the international market trade.
He said Pakistan faced the catastrophe due to heavy floods in which we lost the vast range of agriculture. He said pests and diseases are a continuous problem for farmers throughout the growing season.
Chairman Entomology of UAF, Dr Sohail Ahmad said Pakistan was one of the largest producers of the red chili and produced 141.5 million ton of chilli. He said that in 2022-21, as many as 61 consignments of red chilli were rejected due to aflatoxins. He said that being a WTO member, Pakistan experiences problems in meeting the SPS requirement of trading countries which affect export of agriculture products. Dr Pervez Ahmad said aflatoxins are a group of toxins produced by certain fungi – Aspergillus flavus – found in crops.
These aflatoxins are toxic and cause serious health problems for humans and livestock. Biological control is one way of sustainably handling aflatoxins in crops. Dr Hamid Bashir and others also spoke on the occasion.
