7. Improved Use of Pesticides 



Pesticides will continue to be used for the 

 foreseeable future to reduce losses of crops and 

 livestock and to limit insect-borne diseases in many 

 developing countries. Even though improved insect- 

 resistant crops and operationally feasible biological 

 control techniques (e.g., sterile male, juvenile 

 hormones) may ultimately reduce dependence on 

 pesticides, chemical products are likely to remain an 

 important component of sophisticated approaches to 

 integrated pest management. 



In recent years, environmental and human health 

 problems have emerged attributable to the excessive use 

 of pesticides, the use of long-lived pesticides, and 

 the use of inappropriate pesticides, particularly 

 insecticides. In the 70 or so developing countries 

 that grow substantial quantities of cotton, for 

 example, misuse of pesticides has resulted in injury to 

 farm workers, evolution of insecticide-resistant pests, 

 reduced cotton yields, and contamination of nearby food 

 crops and animals, including commodities scheduled for 

 U.S. markets. Moreover, in some places concentrated 

 efforts to eliminate primary pests have upset the 

 ecological balance, and insects that had previously 

 been of only secondary importance have become primary 

 pests. While the environmental damage from misuse of 

 pesticides cannot be quantified, this topic is of 

 concern to health, agricultural, and environmental 

 officials in many regions of the developing world. 



Developing countries also lack trained 

 entomologists to deal with pest problems and policies 

 for planning and controlling pesticide application, and 

 they have difficulty in conveying the information that 

 is available to policymakers, local formulators, 

 farmers, and rural medical personnel. Further, 

 developing countries often buy pesticides on the basis 

 of competitive bid, and the cheapest supply sources are 

 seldom helpful in providing a technical outreach to the 

 local formulators and applicators. 



Rationale for Selecting this Topic 



U.S. capabilities and experience in basic 

 entomology, the development and use of chemical 

 pesticides, the measurement and analysis of pesticide 

 residues, biological approaches to control, and 

 integrated pest management have been recognized 

 throughout the world. Indeed, the efforts of the 

 United states and other developed countries have made 

 major inroads into the control of harmful insects, 

 particularly at home and to a lesser extent in the 



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