Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
9.2.2 Increase grassroots educational initiatives
Educational programmes delivered at a grassroots level can effectively decrease some of the intoler-
ance and animosity that is directed towards wildlife, particularly if they are presented by other local
people. Such programmes can also provide an opportunity for people to express their frustrations
and concerns (i.e., what drives an individual or community to persecute a particular species), and
to feel they are being heard on these matters. Measures that sustainably and pragmatically address
and integrate the needs of people and wildlife must be developed and implemented (see especially
Chapter 4). Overall, there is a need for dialogue regarding the importance of wildlife and of main-
taining biodiversity. In Chapter 5, for example, a number of contributors expressed frustration at
being faced with the fact that poisoned wildlife are not even deemed 'important enough' to justify
toxicological and forensic analyses. Clearly ascertaining and highlighting the economic benefi ts of
wildlife (and the fact that communities and countries are impoverished by the loss of biodiversity),
may in turn help break down taboos and ingrain a sense of the benefi ts of wildlife.
It is also essential that farmers/growers receive proper training on the use of pesticides and the
measures they should take to protect wildlife. People must be informed of the consequences of
improper use and handling of pesticides to human health and to wildlife/ecosystem health. 'Pesticide
hotlines' and 'poisoning response programmes' are needed where such information structures are
currently lacking. There must also be frank and open communication between users, suppliers and
agronomic advisers. The overriding perception (particularly in the developing world), and one that
has been advanced by manufacturers, is that carbofuran is a product ' . . . they need to maintain
consistently favorable yields' (as per the FMC statement above). In other words, manufacturers are
making the highly persuasive argument that the use of carbofuran is integral to crop success and,
by extension, to global food security. However, there are usually much safer pesticides available
at comparable costs. Also, pesticides are by no means the sole method that can be used to man-
age pest species in crops. Users/growers do have a range of agricultural options available to them
(e.g., integrated pest management, organic practice and benefi ts, the pre-testing of soil for nema-
todes, that would allow them to minimise carbofuran use wherever possible), which they should
be fully aware of so that they can make informed choices regarding whether or not to use carbofu-
ran. Such measures would, in themselves, save users/growers a considerable amount of money, and
potentially reduce wildlife mortality. It is also noteworthy in this context that the US EPA concluded
that the risks carbofuran posed to people and the environment far outweighed the benefi ts of contin-
ued use (http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/reregistration/carbofuran/carbofuran_noic.htm).
Finally, the ability of users to recognise and correctly identify products and trade names is abso-
lutely crucial to the success of initial surveying and on-the-ground monitoring efforts. For example,
in Kenya, people sometimes collectively call the pesticides they use as poisons 'Furadan', which
itself is often referred to as 'dawa', i.e., poison. In the absence of analytical infrastructure (discussed
in Section 9.2.4), the accuracy of anecdotal information becomes particularly important. And, when
several forms of carbofuran are available, correct identifi cation of the trade name(s) is essential in
tracing the source of the product and identifying its manufacturer.
9.2.3 Enhance analytical capacity and increase sampling, testing
and monitoring efforts
A recurring theme throughout the topic is that only a fraction of poisoned wildlife are actually
detected and reported. In many (though not all) cases, sampling is conducted in an opportunistic
rather than routine, concerted manner. This is often due to logistical constraints (e.g., the remoteness
of fi eld locations). Intuitively, by implementing systematic monitoring networks, a better overall
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