Pesticides deal a body blow to farmers

Aravinda, a farmer in Byadagi taluk, Haveri district, knows the deadly fate that is awaiting him.

“We won’t know the impact of ‘oushadhis’ (chemicals) on our body until we turn 50. Chronic illnesses will make our life miserable afterwards,” he says.

The Byadgi farmer is talking about the overlooked problem of excessive usage of chemicals in agriculture, with a new study revealing that all is not well beneath the surface.

Fifty-one per cent of farmers from the state have high pesticide residual content in their bodies, according to a study done by the Karnataka Agricultural Price Commission, with Haveri district (81%) and Kolar district (63%) topping the charts on having the most number of farmers with pesticide residues.

About 750 farmers in their early forties from eight districts participated in the pilot study done from 2016 to 2018 in collaboration with Kasturba Medical College (KMC), Manipal and the Krishi Vijnana Kendras (KVK).

Samples

For the survey, farmers’ blood and urine samples were screened at the Manipal Poison Detection Centre, KMC, Manipal, following which the samples were analysed qualitatively for the presence of pesticide residues.

Results showed the presence of organophosphorus and organochloro pesticide residues in the samples collected from the farmers.

“With high exposure levels, these compounds could prove dangerous to the major organs of the body like liver and kidney. It may lead to genetic mutation as well. The quantitative analysis of the pesticide residues should be done in the next stage,” says Dr Poornima Baliga, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Health Sciences), Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

According to T N Prakash Kammaradi, former chairman, KAPC, who initiated the study, both “soil health and human health have degraded due to indiscriminate use of chemicals in farms”.

“Transfer of technology, the convergence of government programmes and integrated farming system are key to enhancing farmers welfare. There should be more programmes to promote chemical-free, sustainable methods,” he says.

The findings of the study also contradict the popular notion that BT cotton is pest resistant. Cotton farmers in Haveri use heavy doses of pesticides to save their crops from pests like sucking pests, bollworm and stem borer. The other two major crops in the district, maize and cabbage, also require a high dose of chemicals.

Agriculture scientists say that farmers often use highly toxic pesticides including monocrotophos-based insecticides on cabbage, despite it being restricted for use in vegetables. Farmers also don’t follow safety precautions while handling agrochemicals, they add.

Ashok P, senior scientist and head, KVK, Haveri, says soil health has suffered badly, impacting productivity.

“Irrational use of major nutrient fertilisers like urea and DAP without using organic inputs has led to micronutrient deficiency,” he says, highlighting severity of the crisis.