Reduction of pesticide usage for all
When you decide to buy pesticides, it means that you are taking risks,” was one of many messages from the “Together Reduce Pesticide Usage” campaign on 3rd July 2012 in Leuk Daek district, Kandal province organized by World Vision Cambodia and the Agriculture Department of Kandal province.
“The campaign raised awareness on the disadvantages of using pesticide in order to encourage farmers to reduce pesticide usage, to follow instructions, and to understand the impact of using pesticides while farming,” said Nath Van, World Vision’s Project Coordinator for Economic and Agriculture Development.
After listening carefully, Hok Sopheak, 11, said, “Using pesticides could poison the user. If elders are careless about storing pesticides, it could poison children who play with the package of the pesticides or confuse it as drinking water. I will tell my friends about this. And I will tell my parents to stop using pesticide or tell them to bury the waste of the pesticide with lime.”
In order to help farmers understand the campaign messages, Buntoun Simona, Director of Agriculture Department of Kandal Province shared real stories of carelessness, not following instructions, spraying with leaking equipment, wrong packaging, and inappropriate disposal of pesticides. He encouraged the farmers to use chemical free pesticides to promote health safety for all.
He added “The pesticide usage has advantages and disadvantages. Ignorance of correct pesticide usage will affect everybody’s health negatively.”
Cheam Sokhon, married farmer with five children in Boeung Krom village said “The event is very useful for all. It was a great opportunity for us to learn how to use pesticides the right way. I will practice what I learn today and spread it to my neighbors. I used to throw the pesticide package in the river. I will change this behavior because I could poison us and our cattle when we use the water.”
Around 110 children participated in the campaign with more than 200 adults comprising of farmers, government officials from Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery, provincial officers, World Vision’s staff and staff from VVOB, CEDAC and HABITAT organization.
Mr. Kong Tri, Kandal Operations Manager of World Vision said that the first activity implementation was by Participatory of Appraisal Comparative Advantage (PACA) in 2010 in Leuk Daek district. He added, “In 2012, World Vision partnered with the Agriculture Department of Kandal Province to conduct 10 training courses. Around 300 farmers from Prek Dach, Peam Raing and Kpob Ateav communes attended the training courses.”
The campaign was organized in Boeung Leu Primary School, Kpob Ateav commune. It concluded with Kandal deputy provincial governor Chim Sokhon handed recognition on development work to World Vision Cambodia and a parade of trucks driving along 20 kilometers of road across 13 villages with signs and banners sharing with all the villagers to help them to better understand the impact of excessive pesticide usage.