PESTICIDES IN THE AMAZON

[Reproduced from www.amazon.org.br]


A research performed by the University
of São Paulo evaluated both big and
small producers. A paper was
published in the Royal Society magazine.

Small producers established in the Brazilian Amazon agricultural frontier are using pesticides in larger doses, more frequently than the agronomic recommendations and, in some cases, improperly to the pests they want to control.

The major producers of soy and sugar cane in the region follow more agronomic recommendations and even replace more toxic compounds to human health by other less damaging.

The balance between these different usage patterns seems to be negative: a research indicates that the risk of impacts of pesticides on aquatic species such as fish,  increased significantly.

That's because, with the intensification of agriculture in the Amazon agricultural frontier, pesticides are being applied in larger doses and, although they are less toxic to humans and other species of mammals, can be more detrimental to smaller bodies.
"We observe that the small producers in the Amazon agricultural frontier are coarse and uncontrolled use of pesticides and, despite some large producers in the region to follow the recommendations, and techniques have replaced toxic pesticides voluntarily by other less damaging, the ' ecological footprint ' of these compounds increased over time," said Louis César Schiesari, a professor at EACH ("Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidade
 da Universidade de São Paulo").

The data for pesticide application, provided by the producers themselves, revealed that 96 % of small farmers apply the substances in their crops in dose and frequency greater than the technical recommendation.


Major producers already follow more closely the technical recommendations and even lowered their use of more harmful compounds to human health and the environment, according to the toxicological and environmental risk classification adopted by the ministries of health and of the environment. On the other hand, they increased the arsenal and the quantity of pesticides used — which raised the risk of harm to species of animals.

Despite occurred a fall in risk to mammals, risks to aquatic organisms increased 135 times.

 The toxicity risk presented by a particular pesticide, however, can vary greatly from one organism to another. One less harmful compound to rats does not necessarily present lower risk for fish, birds and insects.
 The  agricultural borders (regions of conversion of natural habitats to agriculture) are the areas most susceptible to environmental impacts. 

That's because, as today natural habitats are concentrated in tropical forests - characterized by high biodiversity – they are environments where there is a larger number of species which until then had not been exposed to the risks of land management practices potentially damaging.