DA – Pesticides Protect Crops From Pests, What About The Consumers?

As the son of a farmer who helped grow rice and vegetables to earn money for my BS Agriculture from UP Los Baños, graduating 1965, I know personally that farmers spray pesticides against insects and weeds. But I did not know anything about pesticide residues – that was not studied in class.

(top image of Filipino farmer spraying[1]from Dreamstime.com)

Now comes the Department of Agriculture at the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) showing customer concern as ANN reports on Facebook, “DA-CAR Eyes To Establish Pesticide Residue Analysis Laboratory In La Trinidad” (28 September 2021):

The Department of Agriculture eyes to establish a Pesticide Residue Analysis Mini Laboratory at Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), La Trinidad, Benguet to promote food safety to the consuming public. This was one of the highlights during the DA Food Safety Program meeting last 23 September 2021 at the RCPC Hall, Guisad, Baguio City.
(lower image)

RCPC is the Regional Crop & Protection Center of DA-CAR. The work of the mini lab is to “identify the (levels) of pesticide residue of various highland vegetables (delivered) daily at BAPTC.”

Guilty! In the 1960s, I was myself spraying pesticides on our rice and vegetables and I did not know about pesticide residues. I sprayed with abandon, not realizing the chemical entered and became residue in the food I protected from the pests but not myself!

The Regulatory Division will initially procure 50 sets of Rapid Test Kit (RTK) and a small refrigerator. The Region Crop and Protection Center under the Integrated Laboratory Division will provide additional (reagents) for RTK and various (trainings) on Pesticide Residue Analysis and (conduct meetings with) Local Government Units on implementation of Rapid Pesticide Residue Screening (in) all trading centers, including (an) information and education campaign.

Not mentioned, but I am looking at that campaign as conducted with information & communication technologies (ICT) and ICT products.

Nonetheless, because I am sure the pesticide residue screening can protect only so much the consumers of vegetables from the Cordillera, I say:

The DA should now embark on a much bigger program: Farmer-Friendly Farming (3 Fs): Zero chemical pesticides used.

Pests love monocultures, especially when large-scale: cabbage only, corn only, onions only, rice only, sugarcane only, tobacco only.

For the 3 Fs, considering Tradition, Science & Sense (the title of my blog), I would recommend any combination of these:

1.     Companion planting

2.     Intercropping

3.     Multiple cropping

4.     Trap cropping

5.     Use of organic pesticides.

Companion planting[2] – Growing snap beans + corn; bush sitao+ corn or mungo or sorghum; cabbage or cauliflower or broccoli + garlic + onion (ATI.da.gov.ph).

Intercropping[3] – Growing sugarcane with rice (PNA.gov.ph).

Multiple cropping[4] – Growing any combination of: banana, black pepper, cacao, coconut, coffee, papaya (Semanticscholar.org).

Trap cropping[5] – “Corn is also used as trap crop or sacrificial plant in vegetable growing areas” (Permaculture Research Philippines).

And yes, if you insist on pesticides, use a plant-basedpesticide spray, such as garlic spray or red pepper spray[6] (Homeguides.sfgate.com).

Definitely then, 3 Fs will give us tasty & healthy foods!@517

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[1]https://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photos-spraying-pesticide-philippines-image27900718

[2]https://ati.da.gov.ph/rtc10/sites/default/files/BIG_0.pdf

[3]https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1114193

[4]https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8a2e/3cdc93b71823e30079d7c635ba53f9ae64e8.pdf

[5]

[6]https://homeguides.sfgate.com/homemade-organic-pesticide-vegetables-45069.html