Safe and sustainable crop protection in Southeast Asia: Status, challenges and policy options. Issue 54 (December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schreinemachers, Pepijn; Afari-Sefa, Victor; Heng, Chhun Hy; Dung, Pham Thi My; Praneetvatakul, Suwanna; Srinivasan, Ramasamy
• Is Part Of: Environmental science & policy. Issue 54(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 357
• Page End: 366
• Publication Date: 2015-12
• Subjects: Agriculture -- Developing countries -- Integrated pest management -- Pesticide -- Pesticide policy -- Pesticide regulation; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Environnement -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Sciences de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Environmental policy; Environmental sciences; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.70561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envsci.2015.07.017
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1462-9011

Abstract

Highlights: We study pesticide use and regulation in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. These countries are experiencing exponential growth in agricultural pesticide use. There is a lack of monitoring and weak support for integrated pest management. Regulation needs to be combined with proving more alternative methods to farmers. Abstract: This study aims to identify challenges as well as entry points for governments in Southeast Asia and elsewhere to reduce the risk from agricultural pesticides by comparing levels of pesticide use, pesticide regulation, and farm-level practices in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. We identified three main challenges to pesticide risk reduction: (a) the rapid expansion of pesticide trade—in terms of total volume, number of products and number of selling points, combined with a weak regulatory and enforcement capacity; (b) a high level of satisfaction among farmers with pesticides combined with low levels of risk awareness, lack of technical know-how about integrated pest management (IPM), and general unavailability of biocontrol agents; and (c) no regular monitoring of pesticide risk, which makes it difficult for legislators, regulators, farmers and consumers to make rational decisions. The study highlights several examples countries can emulate, including the introduction of a pesticide tax in Vietnam, the pesticide registration system in Thailand, regular training of pesticide retailers in Thailand and Vietnam, and product certification.