Original post written by Jenny Smart, Senior Research Analyst with IFPRI's Development Strategy and Governance Division; Jason Snyder, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Michigan State University's College of Agriculture & Natural Resources; Joey Goeb received his PhD from MSU; David Tschirley is a Professor of International Development at MSU. This post is based on research that is not yet peer reviewed. It was originally published on the IFPRI website.
Rapid urbanization and GDP growth throughout Africa south of the Sahara are having ripple effects at all levels of the food system. Overall demand for food in East and Southern Africa is likely to increase by a factor of 3.3 to 9 times in the next 30 years, depending on economic conditions, according to one simulation exercise. Consumers are purchasing more processed, fresh and perishable foods, including meat and horticultural products. This means farmers of fruits, vegetables, and other horticultural crops face rising labor costs and incentives to increase yields and minimize crop damage from pests or competing plants.
These farms are located mostly in tropical areas with high pest pressure, which leads to heavy use and reliance on pesticides over traditional methods of pest control. Considerable evidence links pesticide use to chronic health problems in farmers, as well as widespread environmental impacts on soil and water, which subsequently harm ecosystems and wildlife. Oftentimes, fresh produce vendors are unaware of the potential health risks to consumers or themselves. Additionally, smallholder farmers often do not possess adequate knowledge of optimal spray regimens or safety behavior, and thus, most do not take adequate safety precautions.
A recent study by IFPRI and Michigan State University looked at trends, projections, and implications (on health, environment, and food systems) of pesticide use in rapidly developing parts of Africa. It projected a sizable increase (from a factor of 1.2 to 2.3) in the total rate of pesticide use in Africa south of the Sahara, and even more so among horticultural farmers. It then explored ways to better promote agricultural intensification while minimizing use of toxic chemicals—and to promote safe and efficacious forms of pest control.
To learn more about the study and its implications, read the original blog post on the IFPRI website.
In February 2018, IFPRI Malawi published a popular blog series on a related topic. The series looked at the response to a widespread agricultural pest that quickly moved across the African continent, a pest known as Fall Armyworm (FAW). Part 1 of the blog examined the state of the FAW crisis in Malawi and analyzed the damage, especially on the maize crop as well as the immediate response, which included some limited pesticide use. Part 2 considered medium and long-term strategies for dealing with FAW and other potential pests and threats to Malawi’s food security.
