Where
do we go from here?
Although
this process has been well developed and is being used in
multiple countries, it has yet to go to scale. We need to
reach more farmers and schools. One method is to make other
donors supporting IPM projects aware of this component so
that it can be integrated into ongoing programs.
But ultimately, this health component needs to be
institutionalized. From
our experience in Cambodia where it has been integrated
into Farmer Field Schools we know how it can be done within
the agriculture sector. We are now in the process of
working out how the health sector can use these strategies
for community-based pesticide poisoning surveillance in
Thailand. We also have models in Thailand
on how the education sector can use these methods
through their Non-Formal Education programs and in primary
school IPM programs. More countries need to adapt this
institutionalization for better sustainability.
Using IPM
in the health sector is another means to go to scale and
institutionalize this model. For instance, new projects
that focus on environmental health can use this model with
the addition of IPM as a primary preventive intervention
to reduce the incidence of pesticide poisoning. WHO has an interest in this direction. They
have published our Thai school activity as a case study in
their Handbook on Children’s Environmental Health.
Reducing the availability of pesticides is a
well-documented means of reducing suicides from pesticide
ingestion. The Sri Lankan Presidential Task Force on
Suicide Prevention is considering IPM as an intervention
strategy. These are good examples on how IPM can help the
health sector which can be replicated in more countries.
Finally
these studies need broad dissemination nationally and
internationally to benefit more farmer’s and better
influence pesticide policy. We see the beginnings of these
trends. Both the Thai and Cambodian press has covered
aspects of our health activities. BBC also produced the
documentary ‘Toxic Trail’ that had worldwide airing. It
documents the hazardous pesticide use and adverse health
effects Cambodian farmers are finding through their
studies. Finally
PAN (Pesticide
Action Network) Asia is publishing our farmer-to-farmer
studies from both Cambodia and Vietnam.
We are encouraging these authors to publish in their
own countries as well. Finally, we would like to bring these
countries together to share their experiences and publish
the proceedings international through PAN Asia.
It seems
clear that this health component has many uses and
beneficiaries. One, the community’s capacity to protect
the often forgotten farmer- whose health is critical to the
world’s food production- is strengthened. Two, multiple
sectors are provided with useful educational methods and
information. And three, it has the potential to better
inform pesticide policy locally as well as national and
internationally.
