Promotion of bio-pesticides vital to protect environment, ecosystem: Dr Iqrar

Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said on Tuesday that promotion of bio-pesticides is imperative as chemical control of insects is posing a serious threat to health, environment and ecosystem.

While addressing the training workshop title "aflatoxin biocontrol an innovative approach regulatory harmonisation in Pakistan for Maximum Residuals Limits and bio-pesticides" arranged by Department of Entomology UAF, in collaboration with CABI; USAID; PARC and NARC said that excessive use of chemicals on crops was creating health and environmental hazards.

He said that adoption of latest scientific trends was need of the hour to fight agricultural challenges in order to ensure food security and public health.

The VC UAF said that pests and diseases were a continuous problem for the farmers throughout the growing season for which bio-control must be promoted.

Dean Faculty of Agriculture UAF Prof Dr Muhammad Sarwar said that chemical control was a common solution of pest attack, however, it was harmful to human and animal health and use of pesticides also leads to export confiscation in the international market trade.

Chairman Entomology Department UAF Prof Dr Sohail Ahmad said that Pakistan was the largest red-chilli producing countries with a chilli production of 141.

5 million tons. In 2022-21, as many as 61 consignments of red chilli were rejected due to aflatoxins, he said, adding that being a World Trade Organisation member, Pakistan was experiencing the problems in meeting SPS requirement of trading countries which affects export of agriculture products.

UAF entomologist Prof Dr Jalal Arif said that pesticides were provoking many diseases including cancer, and having the hazardous affects not only on the human health, but on the animals, air and water.

He expressed concern that there were few MRL (Maximum Residue Limits) labs in the country. However, MRL studies must be carried-out because hazardous material crossing MRL was also causing negative behavioral changes in the society, he added.

He said that the country was importing pesticides worth Rs90 billion that was an area of grave concern. He said that biochemical pesticides were naturally occurring substances that control pests by non-toxic mechanisms.

UAF entomologists Dr Pervez Ahmad, Dr Hamid Bashir, Dr Atif Jamal from PARC, Deputy Director Development Dr Sabyan Faris and Dr Shahid Majeed also spoke on this occasion.

The 4th Biopesticides, Biostimulants and Novel Fertilizers International Summit (BioEx 2023) will take place on 9th & 10th March in Hangzhou, China. We are pleased to invite speakers from the commercial, research, extension, government, regulatory and farming sectors to submit your proposals and abstracts for oral presentations.