Changing Attitude in Agricultural Practices: Benefits and Hazards of Pesticides in Agriculture

Pesticide is a term used to designate all forms of toxic chemicals used to control pest organisms. Chemicals continue to play a significant role in solving the food and wealth problems of tropical countries. In fact many crops like Cowpeas and Cotton cannot be grown successfully without pesticides application. Malaria eradication all over the world depends largely on the use of pesticides. Pesticides cover a wide range of compounds including insecticides, acaricides, nematicides, mollucsides, rodenticides, herbicides, fungicides, avecides, bactericide and other. Ideally a pesticide must be lethal to the targeted pests but not to non-targeted organisms, including man. Unfortunately this is not the case, so many controversy of use and abuses of pesticides have surfaced. The rampant and injudicious use of these compounds (Pesticides) has caused havoc in the environment and other animate components of the habitat including human beings.