Trends in pesticide use in Colombia and Brazil.

Abstract

Pesticide use in Latin America is increasing and is expected to rench 83.97 billion by the year 2000. in spite of growing aWUfcness of humun health hazards and environmental degradlltion. Reasons for higher demand include humnn population growth, mpid urbanization, and shifts llwny from traditional small-scalc farms lownrd more extensive enterprises characl.cri?cd by mechanization, monoculturc. and intensive usc of agrichcmicnls. We present data to demonstrate these trends in Brazil and Colombia, t1,,'O major pesticide markets in the region. In some cases. discussed here, successful IPM progmms have significantly reduced insecticide use and serve as models in the region. However, a major emphasis on alt.ernative conl-rol methods by nal.ional and international research institutions will be necessary to offset incrensing pesticide usc driven by agricultural and dcmographic trends in the region. Kcy Words: Pesticides, insecticidcs, rPM, Latin America. J. Agric. Entomo!. 7(3}: 191·201 (July 1990) Latin America is a vast area charactel;zed by extreme variability of climate, crops and agricultural production systems. Between 1979 and 1986, annual population growth has averaged 2.3% over the entire area. Ho\'.'cver, in temperate Latin America (Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay), human population has grown at a rate of 1.5% compared with 2.4% for tropical Latin America. At the same time, thcre has been a significant migration to thc cities. From 1970 to 1987. the proportion of the population living in rural areas has decreased from 41 to 28% (FAD 1987, 1989). '''lhile population growth ensures that increased food production will be a primary concern for future generations, the change in demographics of the region suggests that traditional production systems will decrease in importance of their total contribution to production and large scale agriculture will play an increasingly important role. In recent years there has been a shift away from traditional small­ scale farming systems toward more extensive enterprises consisting of larger farm units, monoculture and greater mechanization. Plantation crops are already an important source of export revenue. Latin America produces 73% of the world's coffee, 50% of bananas, and 45% of cotton. Other important crops include citrus fruits and cocoa (33% of wOl'ld production in each case) and sugarcanc (30%) (IRL 1981). In addition, the region is a major producer of vegetable oils, tobacco, soybeans, rice, maize, wheat, potatoes, sorghtun, common beans, cassava, plantains. and vegetables. Plantation cropping systems use more inputs, particularly aglicu]tural Heeeived for publication 8 Scpwmher 1989; acceplt!d 2li Mnrch [£190. Presented in the Infonnlll Conference, Usc and Misu,Se of Pesticidel! in Developing Countries, at the Entomological Society of Americn Annuli I Conft!rencc find l<:xhihition, Louisville, KY, December