PHE Project has conducted research on the levels of pesticides residues in food( tomatoes and cabbages) and 86 water sources from the 17 districts in the four regions of Uganda namely; Northern region(Adjuman, Gulu, Nebbi and Kitgum), Eastern Region (Bugiri, Budaka, Kumi, Pallsa and Kapchorwa districts), central region(Ssembabule, Wakiso, Kayunga and Rakai districts) and western region (Masindi, Bushenyi, Ntugamo and Kamwenge districts).
Working with the respective district branches of UNFFE (the District Farmers’ Associations) and the directorate of Government Analytical laboratories (DGAL), PHE Project has collected samples of tomatoes, cabbages and water samples and analysis of pesticides residues done under the pesticides residues analytical lab. this writeup details the research results dissemination at the district levels totaling to 17 dissemination workshops held.
RESOLUTIONS FROM THE DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS ON PESTICIDES RESIDUES ON FOOD AND WATER IN THE 17 DISTRICTS.
• The district production department together with the agricultural office should monitoring selling of agro-inputs as well as train farmers and agro-dealers on safe handling and proper collection, storage, and disposal of the empty pesticide containers.
• Lower sub-county level chairpersons with support from district levels technical to mobilize the community for further dissemination of the results with an aim of enacting bylaws on proper pesticide handling by the farmers.
• Food handlers should also be targeted and sensitized on the general sanitation measured such as tomato peeling and or washing before cooking.
• The district should lobby for localizing the existing laws into ordinances as well as enforcement of already existing bylaws and laws at the district level by responsible personnel.
• The District production department should work towards the training of agro-dealers on safe pesticide handling as well as regulating what they sell to the farmers.
• Sms campaigns on safe pesticide handling and IPM should continue as they were for the previous project phases.
• UNACOH together with ACTION AID to train farmers mobilized by ACTION AID on safe pesticide handling.
• A resolution of empty containers, all members agreed to start with the collection, transportation, and storage and then after disposal mechanism will be planned by the natural resource department.
• The changes of proper pesticides handling and treatment of tomatoes at home has to start with people who have tested the results before they become change agents, they should first have the changes in their homes.
• UNACOH to participate in the district council meetings through the PAFA. The speaker to introduce the matter to the council.
• The district production department together with the agricultural office should monitor selling of agro-inputs as well as train Farmers and agro-dealers on safe handling and proper collection, storage, and disposal of the empty pesticide containers.
• Lower sub-county level chairpersons with support from district levels technicals to enact bylaws on proper pesticide handling by the farmers.
• Encourage safe pesticide handling by making use of already trained Spray Service Providers (SSP) to do spraying for those who are not skilled.
• Women to be engaged at every step in training on safe pesticide handling as these are very prone to the effects of pesticide poisoning.
• Active enforcement of already existing bylaws and laws at the district level by responsible personnel.
• Encourage all CBOs and NGOs in the promotion of organic farming by establishing demonstration gardens that can teach farmers in the establishment of kitchen gardens for their vegetables.
• To reduce water source contamination, standardized distance in meters should be left away from wetlands free from cultivation
• The natural resource department should put up a proposal in the establishment of the incinerator for pesticides container disposal.
Glyphosate use is rampant and much abused by farmers and this is a sign of laziness which should be stopped among farmers yet a hoe would be used better for weeding.
The secretary for production encouraged the joining of hands to encourage organic farming from the sub-county level to the district leadership, Container disposal should also be well done to reduce water contamination.
Agro-inputs have been entering the country for a long time, however, it is not too late to control for these effects on this grounds UNACOH is appreciated for the great work done on teaching the community on the safe pesticides handling the dangers thereof.
Request to the health department to sensitize the community on the results of this study and if possible close the selling of contaminated tomatoes.
Apart from pesticides, there are other exposures which are more dangerous and high cancer risks like plastics and kaveera.
Extension workers have to teach farmers to mitigate this.
Laws should be put in place by district local government concerning the regulation of pesticide use and hands joined together for the encouragement of organic farming since most of the farmers do not use PPEs during pesticide application.
PPE use should be encouraged to be used by 90% of our farmers who do not use them.
Pesticide safety should be promoted as a venture with the involvement of technical personnel from water and environment, forestry, veterinary, and other departments. We also humbly request for pesticide residue analysis in other foods especially animal products.
• Lobbying for fundraising and the establishment of an incinerator will help much on pesticides empty containers. Proposal to be made to the committee in charge of the fecal sludge project on-going. There is a need to lobby to the district leadership. At a lower level, sub-county leaders should lobby for the establishment of a central collection center for containers
• Multisectoral approach from all district departments since all are responsible for the mitigation of the effects of indiscriminate pesticides use and at the end of the day, the health of the people, environment, water, fisheries, and production are all affected.
• A by-law on container disposal to be enacted at the sub-county level.
• Encouragement and promotion of organic farming by the extension staff and Operation Wealth Creation.
• Steering committees for spearheading the implementation of the action actions should be elected and start off.
• Apart from tomatoes, more workshops should be organized in the reducing of residues in other foods like coffee. Caritas and AFARD should take the lead.
• There is a need to lobby to the government for the establishment of the pesticide residue monitoring laboratory in the district.
• Local leaders have to take back the message and utilize any opportunity in these respective.
• Monitoring should be done by the extension workers to limit the selling of counterfeit pesticides as well as check on dealers’ competence to advise the farmers.
• To reduce eating tomatoes whose residue contents are not known, the establishment of backyard/kitchen gardens should be encouraged at all households
• Farmers who grow and spray rice in swamps should leave a distance that reduces on swamp water contamination.
• Agro-dealers should advise their farmers after training by the production department so that farmers know the right amounts of pesticides to mix for spraying.
• The project is willing to support sub-county extension workers who would love to promote this work in the field.
• Pre-harvest intervals and pre-entry intervals for Indoor Residual Spraying to be observed at all times.
• The district production department together with the agricultural office should train the agro-input dealers; monitor selling of agro-inputs as well as train farmers and agro-dealers on safe handling and proper collection, storage, and disposal of the empty pesticides containers.
• Food handlers should also be targeted and sensitized on the general sanitation measured such as tomato peeling and or washing before cooking.
• Extension workers to spearhead the training of farmers on organic pesticides together with the DFA.
• A resolution on safe pesticide application, all the farmers and other pesticides handlers to use PPE whenever handling the chemicals and have a designated place for the collection of the empty pesticide containers.