1 .- INTRODUCTION
This century has seen an extraordinary growth world agricultural production due to the combined effect of the incorporation of new land under cultivation, increased production under irrigation and the introduction of innovations that increase yields per unit, as the use of agrochemicals in food production primarily through
now seems certain that the availability of the first two agents increased production are relatively inelastic and that the generation of food, must increasingly rely on technological progress, ie the ability to produce wealth discovering new and better uses available resources. This has forced the increased use of agrochemicals with the consequent result of the problem below.
Marx said one of the ten philosophical thesis his work LUDWIG FEUARBACH CRITICISM AND THE END OF
It raised before the need arises, to study and identify all the implications and interactions of the factors affecting food production with the use of agrochemicals. With the main aim of proposing solutions viable and contribute to the development of our society and future generations.
The economic, social, ecological and environmental crisis stems from the fact that human beings can actively intervene half to meet their needs, and through it, are causing great harm to the environment and all living things that depend on that environment.
intervention of mankind over nature has increased in the modern era as a result of scientific and technological development. Some people have had an over nature, exploiting renewable natural resources nonrenewable uncontrolled manner, making thus, endangered the life on the planet.
At the same time, the population growth caused an increase in food production, giving rise to the development of activities such as agriculture and livestock.
agricultural activities and livestock, also contribute to environmental pollution. The ecological imbalance generated to enter farming in an environment, produce such a gap, which leads to develop crop pests. To combat pests, developed the production of biocides (pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, bactericides), substances also able to end the life of any plant and animal species.
Unfortunately, biocides kill the pest but cause the following problems:
interfere in the ecological balance because they hurt species that have nothing to do with cultivation or breeding.
They enter the food chain through the first-order consumers such as herbivores, and then cause damage to people.
damage the health of human beings as poisonings and dermatitis, when consuming vegetables that have been supplied by biocide.
contribute to water pollution when leach into groundwater that supply to rivers and lakes.
Meanwhile fertilizer are chemicals produced by industry to supply nutrients to the soil as nitrogen salts, phosphate or potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur, to encourage the crops to improve plant productivity. The contamination of soil, air and water by the use of fertilizers is mainly due to:
The indiscriminate use of fertilizer by farmers on crops.
the manner of distribution over large areas of agricultural fertilizer.
Nitrites present in fertilizers can cause serious diseases like cancer .
Meanwhile, deforestation creates an ecological imbalance, and burning to renew pastures, destroys organic matter that enriches soil and promotes the extinction of animals and plants.
species develop resistance to the biocidal product when it is used very frequently, thereby increasing the concentrations of these substances to be effective against the pest.
livestock activities poorer soils and can also contaminate them with water. However, agricultural activities are very important because of the power generated at the same time provide jobs. But also generate a heavy load of pollution due to drag and dispersion of biocide, fertilizer and sediment, which falling into rivers, lakes and oceans, contaminating them.
3 .- OBJECTIVES
objective.
The primary objective of this study is to understand the real dynamics of the interaction between the use of agrochemicals in food production and environmental, economic and social, to propose solutions.
specific objectives.
- Role of the use of agrochemicals in the cost of food production and the national economy.
- social consequences of the use of agrochemicals in food production.
- environmental consequences of the use of agrochemicals.
- Identification of possible solutions proposed.
4.1 .- GENERAL CONCEPTS:
Since time immemorial, man has always caused effects on the ecosystem of which it forms part. With the passage of time and the development of science and technology have deepened such that is the man to increase your comfort and safety, threatens to disrupt natural ecosystems to a degree almost irreversible.
The first significant change on the ecosystem began with the development of agriculture when the man was simply a collection of food, its effect on the environment was minimal and confined to only the vicinity maintaining immediate fire for heat and cooking.
With the advent of agriculture increased effects, it was necessary to lighten the natural vegetation forests, to plant crops. The increasing amount of food available due to the plantations, stimulated the rapid growth of human population, more people meant more land occupation and therefore increase the effects on the environment.
With the expansion of agriculture trade flourished that led to movement between populations. By increasing the population was necessary to change the style of life, becoming more complex. Appeared then, other industrial activities such as transportation, urban construction and other characters of modern life, identified as ecologically disrupting human activities, as they have had a negative impact on her environment.
4.2 .- MODERN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The traditional production came to a head before a primary factor considered such as the "market". The company had a growing demand for agricultural products and likewise qualified on certain products (meat). This effect could not be matched by the traditional production, so there was a mismatch between supply and demand of products. In this way, and to give partial answer to this, the producer turned to the bulk purchase of inputs and sale of products by entering the cash economy.
There was then called "the first environmental impact," where the producer uses:
- Mechanization
- Use of chemicals (fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives, etc).
- breaks (crops) out of order.
All these factors led to the alteration of the landscape and the onset of environmental pollution.
Moreover, as a result of this increase in consumption, prices tended to rise and be resorted to imports. This attracted investment capital extra land, finally settling for the characteristics of agriculture and livestock "modern" that led to the "second environmental impact."
These characteristics are:
- concentration of production, usually close to consumption centers and large-scale units.
- specialization of production, creating clusters. All this has entailed a decrease in the number of farms, with their implications.
Intensification of production, becoming independent of the earth to be an independent factor.
For agriculture, these characteristics have brought with them:
- Excessive use of fertilizers, animal manure and pesticides, which resulted in many cases water pollution, soil and air, in addition to health problems in the people and questionable quality of the products.
- environmental problems, through alteration of the landscape, loss of biodiversity, as well as health disorders.
For farms, the timing of this intensive model began with the production of eggs, followed by chickens, then pigs, cattle also reach for meat and milk and other minor species, and some of its consequences:
- High volumes of excreta and its disposal, the problems of filtration of nitrogen and phosphorus (eutrophication), methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide. Heavy metals, health issues (micro-organisms, zoonoses).
- The biological quality of meat is highly questionable, due to extensive use of antibiotics, pigmentation, anabolic and growth promoters used in these systems.
This intensive model based on capital investment, has the sole objective of profit maximization production and mass production, being similar to
Any industrial process type.
4.3 .- CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
As we said human activities have always been changes in the environment, however it is not until recent decades that the impact of human activities on the environment has accelerated and deepened. The pressures of life to the rapid population growth, lavish and uncontrolled consumption, urbanization, industrial expansion and progress of science and technology have caused these rapid changes in the environment.
The main causes of environmental degradation include:
- Rapid population growth
- New problems through science and technology
- The development and industrialization
- concentration of human population.
These human activities have resulted in the contamination of the basic means of life such as air, water and soil.
4.4 .- ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
In DR. countless environmental problems are largely due to the lack of environmental awareness both authorities and people in general, this coupled with rapid population growth with poor infrastructure to assist and social and economic changes experienced by the country.
however difficult to make a thorough study of environmental pollution our country. because the scientific information that we have is poor, so that we have been in serious difficulties in identifying the major agrochemical contaminants.
Water is one of the elements present in a greater extent in the life of man. It is used for human supply, agriculture and industry causing pollution thereof. The water pollution worthy of note is produced by agricultural waste, pesticides and fertilizers, and reaching surface streams and groundwater.
Several years ago the use of pesticides in the country was confined mainly in vegetables and cotton farms. Since then producers and distributors of agricultural inputs intensified the commercial promotion of pesticides and fertilizers. However, no efforts were made to educate pesticide users about the dangers associated with chemicals or the science of management.
dilutions and measurements are not accurate and the products are mixed without precaution. This problem not only affects public health but also has negative effects on soils.
Pesticides most used before 1981 were almost exclusively organic chlorine and there is evidence that these products persist in the soils of the Dominican Republic.
Current use of pyrethroid pesticides, carbamate and organophosphate products is very intense and although the biodegradation of these substances in tropical soils is relatively rapid, inappropriate handling overloads the soils with toxic chemicals and their metabolites.
RD Although no comprehensive studies have been conducted throughout the country, it is known that in areas where intensive farming is practiced serious pollution problems such as Constance.
As pesticides are handled, there is a high risk of coming into contact with them, this risk depends on the attention at the time of handling and use of appropriate clothing to work with them. At greatest risk are those working with technical products and concentrates as manufacturing, reformulation or repackaging of concentrates without proper equipment.
Because the main form of exposure to pesticides is the skin, caused by handling in the mixture and implementation of these, there is an alternative choice in formulations of products for use less exposed to the skin, and then presents the characteristics of certain formulations:
1 .- oil concentrates and emulsifiable concentrates of most chemicals easily penetrate through the skin.
2 .- Solid formulations, can penetrate the skin due to lower absorption by the carrier product is clay or other material.
The pellets are much more reliable to work and avoid skin exposure, and if they are covered is much better.
Another aspect to take into account when the application, to reduce pesticide exposure, is to manage the appropriate size of the drop, to avoid drift and toxicity, the powders used must take the necessary measures to prevent dispersion problems.
pollution by evaporation of the product may be considered if they come in close contact to the application area, these volatile products can be applied in low concentrations to reduce the risk.
devote attention to the appropriate formulation, then, can result not only in a more effective pest control and safe, but also to prevent human exposure and environmental pollution. Formulation can be a commercial product or the result of a tank mixture with appropriate additives to achieve the desired properties.
In many cases it was seen that the farmer does not consider much the proper disposal of containers. To prevent him from continuing to pollute, he must ensure that when you empty a container of pesticides, rinse the container before disposal. This is done in order to reduce the amount of pesticide waste that remains in the container and if you rinse the container several times and use that water to apply, would be giving a better use of your investment.
Usually the farmer uses the land for disposal of waste, if done this way, you must select a site that is away from home or where animals have access to the site and mostly away from any water source .
In order to solve the issues raised, we have developed a range of technologies, mainly grouped in what is known as IPM techniques, attached to the return to traditional production techniques, such as the Organic Production.
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