Pests, weeds and plant-eating insects, rodents threaten the volume and quality of crop yields on the farmlands, causing significant post-harvest losses. According to FAO, nearly 40 percent of crop production is lost to pests globally every year, and “plant diseases cost the global economy over $220 billion and invasive insects/pests at least $70 billion.” Things are getting worse due to the worsening impact of climate change.
Herbivorous insects such as stem borer, bollworm, thrips, pod sucking bugs, root borer, weevil, mealybugs, berry borer, fruit and shoot borer, aphids etc., are responsible for destroying one-fifth of the world’s total crop products.
Insects can bring significant damage to growing crops in several ways. They can cut plants off at the soil surface, consume roots, cause holes and notches in plant parts. The harmful insects can tunnel into plant tissues, deforming plants and their stems. They can also cause damaging effects to the crops by laying eggs into the plant tissues. Some insects can transmit bacterial, fungal, or viral infection to crops.
The ill effect of pests in the agriculture industry is huge, and this is where the reference of pesticides comes. Judicious use of pesticides allow farmers to produce safer, high-quality foods at lower prices. They also support a farmer to have bountiful and nutritious foods all year round. More food yield is vital to the progress and ongoing development of humanity.
Let’s delve more into the topic and see how pesticides are helping the world in many wide-ranging ways and why they are an integral tool for the sustainable production of foods.
The first obvious benefit of pesticides is that they can control certain types of harmful pests and contain the ill effects of weeds and plant diseases, which leads us to the next significant benefit.
Perhaps the significant benefit of pesticides is that they are related with increased food production. Over the years, major crop production has seen a surge, thanks to pesticides and other tools that are working together to meet the ever-growing demands of food globally.
Pesticides help farmers produce more in less land, thereby enabling the latter to enhance crop productivity year on year.
Using pesticides, farmers and food producers can holistically make the most of seeds, fertilizers, and water resources, resulting in organized farming and higher quality food yields. Pesticides are an insurance to the investment that farmers makes to produce crop.
Farmers can see more profits, save their valued time, money, resource and effort by not engaging into manual weeding practices or try to remove harmful pests on their own. Pesticides do the job themselves, helping farmers to focus on what matters the most - Increasing food volume and producing high quality, safe foods for the world.
Some pests and insects can cause diseases that can be transmitted to humans. Using pesticides judiciously and controlling harmful insects can reduce human diseases and deaths from pests.
Using pesticides judiciously and by following the best practices can have many wide-ranging environmental benefits too, such as they can reduce deforestation, help properly use and leverage on the natural resources, curb soil erosion etc. Some pesticides can also stop the uncontrolled growth of invasive species and weeds.
Using pesticides and producing food in a regulated manner using evidence-based farming practices, developing countries like ours can reduce their dependence on imports, contain the spread of hunger, and become economically self-sufficient while improving their citizens overall quality of life and ensuring Food security of the nation.
When used to protect stored produce, pesticides can prolong the life of the produce, check the post-harvest losses arising out of harmful rodents, insects and pests.
A world without pesticides is hard to imagine, especially when noxious weeds, plant-eating and disease-causing insects are growing steadily. Watching a plant fight for survival on its own is surely not a choice. No pesticide means fewer food, unsafe food, expensive food and only a few people can access food. This could lead to a health crisis and global starvation.
Safe use of pesticides
Of course, the beneficial impact of pesticides can only be felt when they are used judiciously following expert guidelines and regulations. They should be used safely, with all precautions to avoid any issues concerning health and the earth.
Pesticide brand in India
Always choose the best pesticide brands from quality and dependable manufacturers. Know your requirements, understand what type of pesticides is recommended to your problem by the agri-scientists and in what proportion. Always follow proper guidelines as per the instruction on labels while using any pesticides. Do not fall for spurious, duplicate low cost, unregulated manufacturer pesticides. Always buy Pesticides from an authorized licensed dealer with proper invoice, do not fall for low quality products to save a little and put your entire investment on the crop at risk. Buy Pesticides Judiciously and use Pesticides Judiciously as you buy and use medicines for your healthy life.
Read More: Everything You Need To Know About Plant Growth Regulators in India
