Lalitpur, December 3

Observance of No Pesticide Use Week began today in Kathmandu with various public awareness programmes against the use hazardous pesticide in agro-vet products.

On the first day today, Minister for Agriculture Gauri Shankar Choudhary led a walkathon, which was participated by by government officials, farmers, members of civil society, and food and agriculture experts.

More than 400 men and women walked through the main streets of the city carrying placards with awareness slogans and messages.

Addressing a gathering after the walkathon, Minister Choudhary said public and private sectors should pay attention towards endorsement and implementation of legislation to control the use of hazardous pesticides.

Stressing the need for minimising the use of toxic pesticides, Secretary at Ministry of Agricultural Development Annapurna Das appealed to experts and entrepreneurs to promote alternate provision of bio-pesticide.

Welcoming the gathering,  Dilli Ram Sharma, director at the Plant Protection Directorate, said despite minimal quantity of use of chemical pesticide in Nepal comparison to other countries, the farmers and consumers were facing threats of health hazards due to lack of knowledge on its proper use.

Representing the consumers’ forums, Prem Lal Maharjan and Jyoti Baniya also addressed the gathering. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has been extending support to the Government of Nepal in the Integrated Pest Management Program in Nepal for two decades.

FAO is providing technical support for institutionalisation of Nepal Good Agriculture Practices and capacity building of the government and the farmers’ community in order to enhance the skill on pesticide management. Similarly, FAO has been promoting the market outlet of the safe agro produces in Kathmandu and other cities of Nepal.