The Bangkok Post reported that on Tuesday (28/08/18), Deputy
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Wiwat Salyakamthorn said he
supported a full ban on 3 of the most dangerous chemicals used by
farmers in Thailand. The full report can be found here.
The article explains how farmers in Thailand prefer the use of these chemicals as it makes life easier for them.
On May 23, the Hazardous Substance Committee allowed continued use of three toxic pesticides: paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos but under tightened regulations. The crops they are allowed on are : corn, cassava, sugarcane, rubber, oil palm and fruits. One of the chemicals, paraquat, has been banned in many countries already. Glyphosate, another highly toxic chemical, has led to a large amount of Genetically Modified crops (mostly from the same company that creates farm ready glyphosate formulas) that can withstand the toxicity. Chlorpyrifos, kills insects and worms (surely the gardener's best friend?) amongst many other animals. It affects the nervous system and can stop correct functioning of the body from mild symptoms to death.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, has been a long-term advocate of organic farming (here).
The Prime Minister regularly appears on television explaining how this is the correct way for the Thai Farmers to produce crops. Organic, natural farming techniques. It has been quite disheartening though to be in a room full of farmers who act as though they are being given a lecture by an over-concerned parent. So many of these farmers ignore the advice thinking they know best. I have personally seen them just guesstimate how much of the chemicals they need. They then go into the fields and spray to their hearts content, happy to think spraying chemicals is easier than just weeding or making their own organic formulas. Most have little to no protective clothing. The view tends to be that modern ways are best. (A view that extends into the house building which I may comment on later).
Some of the farmers get bad news when their crops are tested. Their product cannot be sold because it is too toxic. This then leaves them in a financially precarious position. Maybe they took a loan to buy the chemicals because they worked out the profit they would make. Now they don't have anything sold so they can't pay for it. More bad news, this crop can't really be used in the old fashioned way of churning it back into the land then replanting something else. The soil and plants don't work like that anymore. The land needs time to clean itself and repopulate beneficial plants and insects.
Education is what is needed. This, however, is so hard to instigate. You can only educate someone who wants to be educated. When I first came to Thailand, I was hoping to just show a way to farm naturally. Unfortunately it was seen as a competition. OK, you might think there is nothing wrong with healthy competition, it can spur us on to try harder. Unfortunately it was more of a competition like in the Wacky Races when Dastardly and Muttley try to sabotage their competitors.
More about my personal journey another time. In short though it appears that there is now more weight behind a ban on dangerous chemicals which not only get into our food but also to improve the health of those who dedicate their lives to produce it for us. All countries are dealing with this problem at the moment. We need more Prime Ministers like Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Narendra Modi of India who are supporting organic farming, China is also banning many harmful chemicals. They are not seeking the populist votes and are actively going against some big corporations' business plans and in the process helping to save the planet.
Spread the word for natural farming, watch what you eat, stay healthy.
Sources:
Bangkok Post: Minister Backs Pesticide Ban (29/08/18) by Post Reporters
Royal Thai-General Consulate, Chennai, India, News
Wikipaedia: Paraquat; Glyphosate; Chlorpyrifos.
The article explains how farmers in Thailand prefer the use of these chemicals as it makes life easier for them.
 |
| Corny caption joke not needed. |
On May 23, the Hazardous Substance Committee allowed continued use of three toxic pesticides: paraquat, glyphosate and chlorpyrifos but under tightened regulations. The crops they are allowed on are : corn, cassava, sugarcane, rubber, oil palm and fruits. One of the chemicals, paraquat, has been banned in many countries already. Glyphosate, another highly toxic chemical, has led to a large amount of Genetically Modified crops (mostly from the same company that creates farm ready glyphosate formulas) that can withstand the toxicity. Chlorpyrifos, kills insects and worms (surely the gardener's best friend?) amongst many other animals. It affects the nervous system and can stop correct functioning of the body from mild symptoms to death.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, has been a long-term advocate of organic farming (here).
The Prime Minister regularly appears on television explaining how this is the correct way for the Thai Farmers to produce crops. Organic, natural farming techniques. It has been quite disheartening though to be in a room full of farmers who act as though they are being given a lecture by an over-concerned parent. So many of these farmers ignore the advice thinking they know best. I have personally seen them just guesstimate how much of the chemicals they need. They then go into the fields and spray to their hearts content, happy to think spraying chemicals is easier than just weeding or making their own organic formulas. Most have little to no protective clothing. The view tends to be that modern ways are best. (A view that extends into the house building which I may comment on later).
Some of the farmers get bad news when their crops are tested. Their product cannot be sold because it is too toxic. This then leaves them in a financially precarious position. Maybe they took a loan to buy the chemicals because they worked out the profit they would make. Now they don't have anything sold so they can't pay for it. More bad news, this crop can't really be used in the old fashioned way of churning it back into the land then replanting something else. The soil and plants don't work like that anymore. The land needs time to clean itself and repopulate beneficial plants and insects.
Education is what is needed. This, however, is so hard to instigate. You can only educate someone who wants to be educated. When I first came to Thailand, I was hoping to just show a way to farm naturally. Unfortunately it was seen as a competition. OK, you might think there is nothing wrong with healthy competition, it can spur us on to try harder. Unfortunately it was more of a competition like in the Wacky Races when Dastardly and Muttley try to sabotage their competitors.
More about my personal journey another time. In short though it appears that there is now more weight behind a ban on dangerous chemicals which not only get into our food but also to improve the health of those who dedicate their lives to produce it for us. All countries are dealing with this problem at the moment. We need more Prime Ministers like Mr Prayut Chan-o-cha, and Narendra Modi of India who are supporting organic farming, China is also banning many harmful chemicals. They are not seeking the populist votes and are actively going against some big corporations' business plans and in the process helping to save the planet.
Spread the word for natural farming, watch what you eat, stay healthy.
Sources:
Bangkok Post: Minister Backs Pesticide Ban (29/08/18) by Post Reporters
Royal Thai-General Consulate, Chennai, India, News
Wikipaedia: Paraquat; Glyphosate; Chlorpyrifos.
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