Pesticide Use in Commercial Potato Production: Reflections on Research and Intervention Efforts towards Greater Ecosystems Health in Northern Ecuador

Abstract

Since 1990, an interdisciplinary and interinstitutional team of scientists has led a research-intervention initiative examining pesticide impacts on agricultural production, human health, and the environment in the highly commercial potato growing province of Carchi, Ecuador. This article synthesizes the key results of that initiative, analyzes the lessons concerning the process of transdisciplinary ecosystems health research from a methodological perspective, and identifies priority future research opportunities. Research on this initiative has covered a broad range of activities with a full spectrum of rural stakeholders. These have included: health studies of the incidence of pesticide poisonings and the neurological impacts of pesticide exposure on farmers and their families; environmental and personal exposure studies; economic studies on the role of pesticides in agricultural production; sociological studies of farmers attitudes, knowledge, and practices related to pesticide use; and participatory interventions to reduce pesticide-related impacts. Research results have shown that pesticide poisoning incidence in the potato growing zones of Carchi, Ecuador match the highest reported rates in the world. A majority of farm household members suffer significant neurological impairment. Economic and participatory research has shown that there are viable alternatives to the use of Class 1 highly toxic pesticides in the zone. Nevertheless, cultural and political factors are impeding substantial changes in current practices.Future research-intervention activities include longitudinal analyses of the health, environmental, and production impacts of participatory interventions, and a scaling up of analyses to encompass other regions in the Andean mountain ecosystem with more limited indicators of key constructs.

Farm Decision Making and Gender: Results from a Randomized Experiment in Ecuador

“…Health problems have been associated with storage and application of toxic chemicals and over-application of pesticides leads to off-farm environmental damages (Crissman, Antle & Capalbo, 1998;Sherwood, Cole, Crissman & Paredes, 2005). IPM is a promising means of reducing pesticide use and promoting more sustainable agriculture (Yanggen, Cole, Crissman & Sherwood, 2004;Carrión Yaguana, Alwang, Norton, & Barrera, 2016;Norton, Heinrichs, Luther & Irwin, 2005). However, uptake of IPM has been slow and scarce outreach resources mean that IPM promotion programs need to be targeted to appropriate decision makers (Carrión Yaguana et al, 2016;Norton et al, 2005).…”

Continuing Issues in the Limitations of Pesticide Use in Developing Countries

“…For example, a close collaboration among economists, social scientists, agricultural experts (soil, agronomy, and entomology), public/occupational health experts, ecologists, environmentalists, and probably others as well; in conjunction with local stakeholders would yield better results. An attempt can be found in Yanggen et al (2004). However, interdisciplinary work could have a tremendous cost in terms of leadership, support, knowledge, perception, responsibilities, and professional ethnocentrism.…”

“…First, pesticide use may reduce peoples' well being (degradation of human resources) and, because of sickness, result in loss of productivity, wages, and an increase in medical expenses (Freeman 1993;Antle and Pingali 1994;Wilson 1998;EPA 2000). Second, degradation of the environment or ecosystems also indirectly increases costs (Antle and Pingali 1994;Antle et al 1998;Ajayi 2000;Yanggen et al 2004). There could be significant costs of, for example, bioaccumulation, biomagnification, pest resistance and resurgence, mismanagement of toxic chemicals and its implications for contamination of ground water, among others (see Wilson 2000;Pimentel 2005).…”

Evaluation of contact fungicide spray regimes for control of late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in southern Ethiopia using potato cultivars with different levels of host resistance

“…A number of studies have demonstrated the high human health risk associated with pesticide application in developing countries, where protective clothing is routinely not used (Yanggen et al, 2004). Reducing fungicide use by growing resistant potato cultivars could decrease this risk to human health, lead to less environmental contamination and increase the economic benefit for farmers.…”