Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
known as DDT, is one well-known example of a POP that was widely used
in American agriculture. DDT entered the national spotlight with the re-
lease of Rachel Carson's
Silent Spring
(1962), which raised concerns about
the long-
term environmental health consequences of its use. A former
United States Bureau of Fisheries scientist, Carson documented the pesti-
cide's toxicity and its negative effects on wildlife.70 After the release of her
topic, subsequent public outcry, and mounting scientiic evidence against
DDT, the United States banned it. Other countries soon followed suit. One
hundred seventy countries have also since ratified the Stockholm Con-
vention, an international treaty banning the use of DDT in agriculture.
Unfortunately, DDT isn't the only POP. Endosulfan, like DDT, is a toxic
chemical that remains in the environment for weeks and months after it
is introduced. EPA studies have indicated that it may disrupt the human
endocrine system and negatively affect the nervous system as well. The
EPA has also found that exposure to the chemical causes reproductive and
developmental problems in birds, fish, and mammals.
In Kerala, endosulfan was widely used. For a quarter of a century,
Kerala's growers of cashew nuts relied on endosulfan to protect their
crops. The state has historically been the largest producer of these nuts
in India, and it currently remains one of the biggest producers. Cashews
are a significant part of Indian food, utilized in its rice dishes, curries, and
desserts and thereby a thriving commodity market. To take advantage
of this market, the Government of Kerala promoted the use of chemical
inputs to enhance the cultivation of cashew nuts beginning in the 1960s.
Kerala's Second Five Year Plan, for example, introduced a state-led scheme
to improve cashew production in the state. As described in the plan:
Cashewnut industry is a very important one in southern Kerala and
employs several thousands of labourers. . . . It is therefore proposed
to step up the production of cashewnut in this country so as to meet
the full requirements of this industry.
At the present time, cashewnut is grown in the poorest soils and
no atention is devoted to this crop. The scheme envisages the im-
provement of the cultivation of cashewnut . . . also by taking the nec-
essary steps for controlling the diseases and pests of cashewnut.71
