Food System Assessment meeting highlights pesticide threats to agriculture
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A public meeting organised under the ‘Green Evolution Project: Path to a Transformed Food System’ has raised concerns about the excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers in Manikganj and their long-term impact on health, soil, and the environment.
The meeting titled ‘Sharing the Results of Food System Assessment (FSA) with District Stakeholders’ was held at the Princess Palace in Manikganj on Monday afternoon.
The event was organised by Wave Foundation with support from Welthungerhilfe Bangladesh.
Shahjahan Siraj, Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, was present as the chief guest.
He said that the use of various types of pesticides is alarmingly high in the agriculture-based Manikganj district.
He warned that the excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers has now become a ‘silent crisis’, posing a serious threat to sustainable agriculture, public health, and ecological balance.
According to farmers, experts and government officials, the growing dependence on pesticides is increasing due to misinformation, aggressive competition among agrochemical traders and lack of awareness among farmers.
It is reported that about 5,00,000 farmers in the district regularly use powerful chemical pesticides, although most are unaware of their long-term health risks and damage to soil fertility and the environment.
The event was moderated by Anisur Rahman, Program Coordinator, Wave Foundation.
Among the special guests were District Livestock Officer Dr. Mohammad Mojibur Rahman; District Fisheries Officer Sheikh Monirul Islam Monir; and Assistant Director, Wave Foundation, Nirmal Das.
The speakers stressed the need for coordinated efforts between farmers, policymakers, and development agencies to promote safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly agricultural practices in the district.