Ministry of Agriculture to Balance the Importance of Pesticides and Food Security

The Ministry of Agriculture and National Food Security is working to balance the necessity for food abundance in the face of crop pesticides. Permanent secretary in the ministry, Dr. Reginald Thomas, said the ministry is building staff capacity so that there can be food security throughout the island.

To improve food security with the aid of approved pesticides, the Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is conducting training for farmers on the appropriate use of pesticides to boost food production without raising health risks associated with pesticides.

Thomas said the use of pesticides is not limited to agriculture alone, but it “spans most of the society from households, building sites [and] commercial buildings.” He added that while pesticides can guarantee food security by protecting crops from livestock and pests, the improper use of the substances can be fatal to human health and impactful on the environment.

“These impacts are a direct result of indiscriminate use, improper handling, labeling and storage,” he stated. “The ministry, understanding its vital role and mandate for national food production and food safety, is working with vigour to enhance food safety and environmental sustainability.”

Dr. Therese Yarde, a FAO consultant, said the initiative is aimed at a regional training, but enhancing national capacity building remains one of its core objectives. She said the project deals with pesticide control and appliction on a regional level from country to country, but it also aims to achieve administrative, legislative, and contextual capacity growth for food security. 

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