By Philip Tengzu
Wa (UW/R), Oct. 16, GNA – Dr. Peter Quandahor, an Entomologist with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-SARI), has warned that excessive and indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides can cause pests to develop resistance to the pesticides.
He said some pests had developed resistance to some pesticides, forcing farmers to increase the quantities of pesticides applied or mix different products in attempts to control infestations without knowing their chemical composition and the effects on humans and the environment.
The Entomologist said the situation could undermine the farmers’ profitability by increasing their production costs, expose them and consumers to health risks, and contribute to global warming as a result of the chemicals released into the environment.
Dr. Quandahor, who said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa, explained that climate change creates conditions favourable for increasing pests, makes crops more vulnerable to infestations and complicates pest control.
“Most of the pests are resistant to pesticides, and because of that, farmers are even mixing different kinds of pesticides in order to spray, which they don’t know the chemical composition and its effect on their health and the health of the people who will consume their produce,” Dr. Quandahor explained.
He encouraged farmers to seek technical advice from agricultural professionals such as Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) on pesticide selection and use because each active ingredient in the pesticides was designed to control particular pests.
The Scientist observed that effective pest management went beyond selecting and applying the right pesticide to understanding the appropriate stage of crop development at which the pesticide should be applied.
“Once you want to apply pesticides, you have to consult the right source, who will give you advice as to which pesticides to buy or apply,” he said.
Dr. Quandahor said a more sustainable approach to pest management required farmers to combine climate-resilient crop varieties and appropriate pest-control methods rather than relying solely on chemical applications.
“Look for varieties that are drought-tolerant so that under climate change, when there is water deficit, the plant will still withstand it,” he advised.
The Entomologist also recommended the use of organic pesticides, such as neem leaves, neem seeds and neem oil extracts to control pests.
He urged agricultural extension officers, researchers and other stakeholders to intensify farmer education to ensure that pest-control decisions were based on scientific advice and the prevailing conditions on farms.
Dr. Quandahor said such interventions would help protect crop yields, reduce avoidable production costs and strengthen farmers’ capacity to respond to the combined pressures of climate change and pesticide resistance.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]