COMMUNICATION EVENT IN RESPONSE TO THE WEEK OF NO HIGHLY HAZARDOUS PESTICIDE USE
In response to "Week of no highly hazardous pesticide use (HHPs)" which occurs annually, on 21th December 2018, the center for Sustainable Rural Development (SRD) in collaboration with the Son La's Sub-Department of Plantation and Plant Protection and Thuan Chau District People's Committee held a workshop titled "The actual situation and solutions to reducing HHPs in Thuan Chau district, Son La province". The objectives of the workshop are 1) to share and communicate to government representatives, local authorities and people about the factual situation of using plant protection chemicals in Son La province and Thuan Chau district; 2) to discuss the harmful effects of plant protection chemicals on human beings, the environment and livestock; 3) to discuss solutions to reduce their use.
The workshop attracted more than 90 people from Son La's Sub-Department of Plantation and Plant Protection, the specialized units of Thuan Chau district, Bon Phang People's Communes and people from four villages of Bon Phang commune, one of the SRD's project areas.
Aiming at propagating and raising people's awareness about the harmful effects of the use of highly hazardous pesticides, the presentations at the workshop focus on the actual use of those chemicals in Son La province and Thuan Chau district, their harmful impacts on human health, the environment and livestock. Besides, to help officials and local people better understand the hazard of those chemicals, the organizers conducted exchanges and answered questions with participants associated with knowledge, attitude and behavior in purchasing, storing, and using plant protection pesticides; discuss solutions to limit the use of those chemicals.
Thanks to the vivid and practical photos, and videos, the workshop attracted the attention and positive feedback from the participants. In particular, to limit the use of burnt herbicide chemicals, most people agree: 1) continuation of current CSR models in order to reduce at least 2 to 3 times of spraying chemicals for plant protection in a season; 2) completely apply the closed agricultural model for taking advantage and completely processing agricultural wastes to produce more organic fertilizer for crops, and from then decrease the dependence of chemical fertilizer; 3) grow leguminous and cassia crops, and apply IPM on the fields for limiting maximally or not using herbicides.
These three feasible solutions will continue to be guided, supported and encouraged by SRD to apply not only to people in the project area but also to replicate in the surrounding areas.
Below are some photos at the workshop:
Facilitator – the main organizer and promoter at the workshop
Mrs. Luu Thanh Nga –
Head of Plant Protection Department of Sub-Department of the Plantation and Plant Protection shares about the actual situation of using pesticides in Son La province and Thuan Chau district
Mr. Giap Van Manh - Chief Inspector of Plantation and Plant Protection Department shared about the harmful effects of pesticides and the notes when buying, selling and using them
Delegates and local people are super excited when participating in answering questions
Gift for local people and delegates who actively participated in exchanges