FAISALABAD :Experts at an international workshop at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on Monday called for adopting modern agricultural techniques including integrated pest management to curb the pest attack.
They said that excessive use of chemical pesticide to control the pest attack was not only playing havoc with the health of people but also devastating environment and causing rejection of agricultural consignment in the international market.
The international seminar on international best practices for integrated pest management and locust control was jointly organised by Department of Entomology (UAF), Asian Development Bank, and CAB International.
Presiding over the session, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan expressed his concern that fruits and vegetables are facing challenges of pest attacks, diseases and post-harvest issues, which were resulting in high cost of production and low per acre yield. He said that chemical insecticides, as predominant pest control measures, were being used to fight the problems. But, the excessive pesticides’ use had provoked different economic losses and hazards to human health.
He stressed the need to adopt modern pest management techniques for a healthy and food secure society. He said that keeping the situation in view, the Entomology had gained immense importance. He said that the proper surveillance and pest warning of locust were essential to fight the challenge.
ADB International Consultant/ IPM Specialist Dr David Hunter said that health risks were associated with pesticides for agricultural workers and consumers. He said that high value market countries had increased chemical pesticide restriction and bans. The exports must meet the SPS standards. He said that European Union 2019 random sampling of imported products were taken. Of Pakistani products tested during 2019, 20 per cent had residue greater than maximum residual limit. He said that tactics for good IPM includes cultural control, mechanical control, physical control, biological control, and chemical control.
He added that reduced chemical strategies are essential to meet SPS standards; limit the use of chemical pesticides. He said that locust control needed proactive response and regularly monitoring. Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwar Khan said that locust was a serious pest that heavily affected in 2019 in Sindh, Balochistan and Punjab. He hoped that the workshop would help address the issue at the national level by learning the experiences of the other countries.
Chairman Department of Entomology Prof Dr Jalal Arif said that they were working on the bio-pesticides policy regulation in collaboration with CABI and Department of Plant Protection. He said that they were making all efforts for the implementation of eco-friendly strategies including Nano-embedded pheromones, and natural enemies; management of locusts through species-specific pheromone application; and collection, identification, and investigation of non-preferred plant volatile compounds.
He said that a comprehensive National Action Plan for Surveillance and Control of Desert Locust in Pakistan, 2020-21 was prepared and adopted by the cabinet. Director Office of Research Innovation and Commercialization Dr Jafar Jaskani said “we have to keep a check on the use of pesticide so that our products remain within the maximum residual limit and intentionally acceptable”. He also called for an effective surveillance and warning system for controlling locusts.
Dr Daniel Neuhoff from University of Bonn briefed about the maximum residue levels and problem of pesticide residues. He said that the specific problems relating to pesticide use in developing countries include disturbance of natural resources, lack of technical regulatory facilities.
Dr Shahid Majeed said the integrated pest management was a process that one could use to solve pest problems while minimising risks to people and the environment.