#PesticideActionWeek
Each year, how many serious poisonings are due to exposure to pesticides in the world?
1 million
88 million
385 million
CHEMICALS IN SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES CAN CONTAMINATE THE AIR, WATER, SOIL AND ECOSYSTEMS.
They can be transported by air, water runoff and soil runoff. Humans can also be exposed to pesticides from food residues and in drinking water.
However, some groups experience greater exposure to pesticides, including farm workers. An estimated 385 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisonings occur annually worldwide, including around 11,000 fatalities. This means 44% of farmers are being poisoned by pesticides every year.
CHEMICALS IN SYNTHETIC PESTICIDES CAN CONTAMINATE THE AIR, WATER, SOIL AND ECOSYSTEMS.
They can be transported by air, water runoff and soil runoff. Humans can also be exposed to pesticides from food residues and in drinking water.
However, some groups experience greater exposure to pesticides, including farm workers. An estimated 385 million cases of unintentional acute pesticide poisonings occur annually worldwide, including around 11,000 fatalities. This means 44% of farmers are being poisoned by pesticides every year.
Pesticide exposure can lead to:
Short term effects (skin and eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea)
Chronic diseases (cancer, asthma, diabetes)
Both
HUMANS CAN BE EXPOSED TO PESTICIDES FROM FOOD RESIDUES AND IN DRINKING WATER.
The level or dose of exposure, the combination of pesticides, the level of toxicity and the persistence of the pesticide are all factors that impact their effects.
Research is still lacking regarding the potential additional harm of pesticide combinations, known as the "cocktail effect." To this day, most regulatory systems continue to conduct risk assessments on pesticides individually, ignoring the fact that pesticide cocktails can cause significantly more damage than individual pesticides.
HUMANS CAN BE EXPOSED TO PESTICIDES FROM FOOD RESIDUES AND IN DRINKING WATER.
The level or dose of exposure, the combination of pesticides, the level of toxicity and the persistence of the pesticide are all factors that impact their effects.
Research is still lacking regarding the potential additional harm of pesticide combinations, known as the "cocktail effect." To this day, most regulatory systems continue to conduct risk assessments on pesticides individually, ignoring the fact that pesticide cocktails can cause significantly more damage than individual pesticides.
GMOs allow to reduce the use of pesticides.
True
False
GMOs (OLD AND NEW) DO NOT HELP REDUCE THE USE OF PESTICIDES
The agrochemical industry often claim that GMOs and new GMOs (genetically modified organisms) can help reduce the need for pesticides, by making crops resistant to certain pests. The evidence doesn’t support this. In fact, it is quite the opposite: pesticide use has been rising since the introduction of GMOs.
For example, many crops have been designed to be tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate, allowing the widespread use of glyphosate! An unsurprising finding when we consider that it is the same agrochemical industry which produces both GMO seeds and pesticides.
GMOs (OLD AND NEW) DO NOT HELP REDUCE THE USE OF PESTICIDES
The agrochemical industry often claim that GMOs and new GMOs (genetically modified organisms) can help reduce the need for pesticides, by making crops resistant to certain pests. The evidence doesn’t support this. In fact, it is quite the opposite: pesticide use has been rising since the introduction of GMOs.
For example, many crops have been designed to be tolerant to herbicides such as glyphosate, allowing the widespread use of glyphosate! An unsurprising finding when we consider that it is the same agrochemical industry which produces both GMO seeds and pesticides.
The world produces enough food to feed:
5 billion people
8 billion people
10 billion people
WITHOUT PESTICIDES, THE WORLD WOULD NOT GO HUNGRY
Pesticide advocactes regularly claim that if pesticides were banned from agriculture, farmers would no longer be able to feed the world. Yet, we currently produce 150% more food, which is enough to feed 1.5x the global population. This equals to 10 billion yet we are at just over 8 billion currently.
The strategy adopted since the middle of the 20th century has consisted in "feeding the world" through a constant gain in productivity, which has been largely sustained by the intensive use of pesticides. Yet, 40% continue to face food insecurity, while 1/3 of the food produced is wasted or lost.
WITHOUT PESTICIDES, THE WORLD WOULD NOT GO HUNGRY
Pesticide advocactes regularly claim that if pesticides were banned from agriculture, farmers would no longer be able to feed the world. Yet, we currently produce 150% more food, which is enough to feed 1.5x the global population. This equals to 10 billion yet we are at just over 8 billion currently.
The strategy adopted since the middle of the 20th century has consisted in "feeding the world" through a constant gain in productivity, which has been largely sustained by the intensive use of pesticides. Yet, 40% continue to face food insecurity, while 1/3 of the food produced is wasted or lost.
Synthetic pesticides help farmers secure higher revenues.
True
False
OUR CURRENT AGRICULTURAL MODEL HAS NOT BENEFITED FARMERS
The unprecedented productivity gains in agriculture since 1945 have not benefited farmers, but the other actors in the food chain. The agri-food industry and mass retail have benefited the most, while the end price consumers pay for food products has increased fivefold since the 1960s.
What's more, the share of that value earned by farmers is constantly decreasing, as they are caught between the volatility of commodity prices and the rise in input costs (fertilizers, pesticides).
OUR CURRENT AGRICULTURAL MODEL HAS NOT BENEFITED FARMERS
The unprecedented productivity gains in agriculture since 1945 have not benefited farmers, but the other actors in the food chain. The agri-food industry and mass retail have benefited the most, while the end price consumers pay for food products has increased fivefold since the 1960s.
What's more, the share of that value earned by farmers is constantly decreasing, as they are caught between the volatility of commodity prices and the rise in input costs (fertilizers, pesticides).
How many industry groups hold the majority of the global pesticide market ?
4
11
16
THE GLOBAL PESTICIDE AND SEED MARKETS ARE AT THE HANDS OF A FEW
In 1990, 16 firms accounted for 80% of the global pesticide market. But successive mergers and acquisitions have led to a market with four leading companies -- Syngenta/ChemChina, Bayer, BASF and Corteva occupy nearly 67% of the whole market.
"Fun" fact: these companies also hold around 60% of the global seed market. This strategy has enabled them to reach a high level profitability, while stripping many farmers from their food sovereignty.
THE GLOBAL PESTICIDE AND SEED MARKETS ARE AT THE HANDS OF A FEW
In 1990, 16 firms accounted for 80% of the global pesticide market. But successive mergers and acquisitions have led to a market with four leading companies -- Syngenta/ChemChina, Bayer, BASF and Corteva occupy nearly 67% of the whole market.
"Fun" fact: these companies also hold around 60% of the global seed market. This strategy has enabled them to reach a high level profitability, while stripping many farmers from their food sovereignty.
Monocultures need a high amount of pesticides to protect the crops.
True
False
MONOCULTURES + PESTICIDES = MORE PEST = MORE PESTICIDES
Monoculture crops grow the same species year after year, which are more likely to be affected by blight or pests, as these threats can move faster through the area due to its reduced biodiversity. As a result, farmers apply pesticides and herbicides to protect the crop.
But, as some kinds of pests survive them by developing resistance to these products, monoculture farms tend to intensify their use. Later, these parasites pass this newly acquired immunity to their offspring which, in their turn, will proliferate on the given field plot even more, as their main source of food keeps staying in one place.
MONOCULTURES + PESTICIDES = MORE PEST = MORE PESTICIDES
Monoculture crops grow the same species year after year, which are more likely to be affected by blight or pests, as these threats can move faster through the area due to its reduced biodiversity. As a result, farmers apply pesticides and herbicides to protect the crop.
But, as some kinds of pests survive them by developing resistance to these products, monoculture farms tend to intensify their use. Later, these parasites pass this newly acquired immunity to their offspring which, in their turn, will proliferate on the given field plot even more, as their main source of food keeps staying in one place.
The European Union is planning to cut the use of pesticides by 50% by 2030.
True.
False, why would they bother?
EU's AMBITIONS TO CUT PESTICIDE USE ARE UNDER THREAT
Yes, it is a key objective of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU flagship policy for a transition towards sustainable food and farming in Europe. Unfortunately, this crucial strategy has been under attack from industry lobbies since it was published.
Latest plot twist: they are now making use of the tragic situation in Ukraine to block the implementation of pesticides reduction targets. Many civil society organizations across Europe, Slow Food included, have been fighting back.
EU's AMBITIONS TO CUT PESTICIDE USE ARE UNDER THREAT
Yes, it is a key objective of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU flagship policy for a transition towards sustainable food and farming in Europe. Unfortunately, this crucial strategy has been under attack from industry lobbies since it was published.
Latest plot twist: they are now making use of the tragic situation in Ukraine to block the implementation of pesticides reduction targets. Many civil society organizations across Europe, Slow Food included, have been fighting back.
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