The past few decades have seen a rapid rise in the consumption of synthetic pesticides. The world now uses about 2.3 million tonnes of pesticides every year, which is 50 times more than in 1950.
Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago the widespread use of pesticides in agriculture and food, homes, schools, gardens and public places exposes millions of children and adults worldwide to the harmful effects of these toxic chemicals, and consequently to some debilitating and life-long health problems. Children are particularly vulnerable. For several reasons, they face far greater risks of exposure than adults. Compared to adults, children breathe more air, eat more food and drink more water per unit of body weight which leads to greater exposure in a pesticide-contaminated environment. Early-life exposure can damage their still-developing brain and nervous and other systems, and disrupt mental and physiological growth, leading to a range of diseases and disorders. These include birth defects, cognitive and behavioural problems affecting intelligence, learning ability and social interactions, disruption of hormonal, reproductive and immune systems, cancers, and metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. Some of the disorders may show up only in adulthood and some can be passed on to successive generations, particularly cancers and changes in the reproductive system.
Mounting scientific evidence now shows that even low-level exposure to pesticides – way below what is generally considered safe – in the womb and early childhood poses a serious threat to children’s normal growth and health.
“Children today are sicker than they were a generation ago,” says a report, A Generation in Jeopardy: How Pesticides are Undermining our Children’s Health and Intelligence, by Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA). “From childhood cancers to autism, birth defects and asthma, a wide range of childhood diseases and disorders are on the rise. Our assessment of the latest science leaves little room for doubt: pesticides are one key driver of this sobering trend”. It cautions that “Even environments we would like to consider ‘safe’ often bring children into contact with pesticides and other chemicals that have been linked to health harms”.
The societal impact of this pesticide exposure goes far beyond individuals. Some public health experts and researchers are calling this a “silent pandemic”. There is an urgent need, therefore, to protect children from toxic pesticides so that they can live healthy lives to their full physical and intellectual potential. However, pesticide regulatory policies, standards and practices around the world do not reflect this crucial need. Regulatory standards, which are lax in many parts of the world, are still targeted at adults. This needs to change because ‘children are not little adults. “Society as a whole is being undermined by these exposures causing a reduction in IQ and by an increase in behavioral problems and problems of socialization, as well as by a burgeoning health burden and associated costs”, points out Dr. Meriel Watts, Senior Scientific Advisor to Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP). From Pan Ap Brochure on Protect our Children.
SRED has joined the campaign with PAN AP on Protecting of Children called Strengthen Communities' Capacity and Build Support and Collaboration to Phase Out Pesticides and Promote Agroecology for a Toxic-Free Asia from 2023 to 2024.
SRED conducted the following programs in the villages.
Speaking and singing competition Perumuchi, Drum beating training Awareness on World environment day, Impact on pesticide use, Storytelling, drawing competition, Capacity training, Planting, saplings, Awareness on Kitchen Garden, Speech competition, Children awareness on “No Fire Crackers”, Awareness on Agroecology, Screening video on impact of pesticide on children, Practicing and activities on Agroecology.
The campaign is a continuous program to enlighten children the impacts of pesticide.
Project name: Strengthen Communities' Capacity and Build Support and Collaboration to Phase Out Pesticides and Promote Agroecology for a Toxic-Free Asia By SRED
Project start date: June 2023 Project end date: April 2024
Agroecology for Children’s Future
POC Campaign by SRED
Date | Program | Village | |
1 | 02.05.2023 | Speaking and singing competition | Perumuchi |
2 | 14.05.2023 | Dance program | Perumuchi |
3 | 03.06.2023 | Drum beating training | Arigalapadi |
4 | 05.06.2023 | Awareness on World environment day | Kallaru |
5 | 07.06.2023 | Impact on pesticide use | Pallur |
6 | 05.07.2023 | Storytelling, drawing competition – Capacity training | Kallaru |
7 | 21.07.2023 | Drum beating training | Konalam |
8 | 09.08.2023 | Planting, saplings and Kitchen Garden | Kallaru |
9 | 25.08.2023 | Awareness on Kitchen Garden | Mittapalayam |
10 | 13.09.2023 | Speech competition | Sirunamalli |
11 | 29.09.2023 | Impact on Pesticide use | Thalavedu |
12 | 12.11.2023 | Children awareness on “No Fire Crackers” | Thakkolam |
13 | 14.11.2023 | Childrens day | Kallaru |
14 | 07.12.2023 | Awareness on Agroecology | Maharajapuram |
15 | 05.01.2024 | Screening video on impact of pesticide on children | Nemili |
16 | 20.01.2024 | Drum beating, songs – training | Thakkolam |
17 | 09.02.2024 | Practicing and activities on Agroecology | Muthur |
18 | 16.02.2024 | Drawing competition | Parameswaramangalam |
19 | 06.03.2024 | Awareness on Agroecology | Padi |
20 | 29.03.2024 | Drum beating - Children | Tiruvalangadu |
21 | 26.04.2024 | Agroecology – Drawing and speaking competition | Kallaru |
By
Society for Rural Education and Development
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