Reducing the use of pesticides
Those in the UAE agriculture sector are being educated in alternative techniques
Alarm bells are being sounded by agricultural scientists over the high level of pesticide use in farming in the UAE. According to Ramasamy Srinivasan, entomologist at the World Vegetable Centre, pesticide consumption in the UAE equates to 9.86 kilograms per hectare whereas the rate is 0.5kg in India, 1.5kg in the United States, and 1.9kg per hectare in Europe. If Srinivasan's information is correct, it's a high rate that needs to be reduced. High rates of use can negatively impact soil conditions and the chemical residue filters into the food chain, affecting human health. Agriculture officials say that the UAE is committed to lowering the use of pesticides and farmers and those in the agriculture sector are being educated in alternative techniques and growing practices. These initiatives need to be encouraged and fostered. There is that old adage: We are what we eat. Better it's not sustained high levels of chemical pesticides.
