MBABANE – Minister for Agriculture Mandla Tshawuka has disclosed that the Masta 900 ban remains on track, with the announcement of the effective date expected ‘very soon’.
He said once the date is announced, a minimum of 30 days will be given to agro-dealers and members of the public in possession of the pesticide to dispose of it completely. Speaking to this publication, Minister Tshawuka explained that the banning of Masta 900 was in response to public outcry over deaths attributed to the ingestion of the poisonous substance. He noted that the exercise of sensitisation for both the public and farmers was now nearing completion. “If there is evidence of a decrease in the pesticide’s availability in stores, that is exactly what we expect,” he said. “We cannot have barrels of Masta 900 still accessible when the ban is enforced, because getting rid of them will be difficult.”
The minister assured that the longevity of crop farming was still possible without Masta 900, as there were numerous less harmful alternatives that the ministry had already listed, and which would be readily available in agro-dealerships. The identified substitutes include Decis Forte, Acephat 750 SP, Orthene 75 SP, Caragen, Judge, Emma, Tracer 120 SC, Steward and Ampligo. Farmers have been advised to use these pesticides as part of an integrated pest management approach. The Ministry of Agriculture has warned that prolonged use of a single pesticide often results in pests developing resistance. This is reported to have been the case with Masta 900, as according to the ministry in its second quarter performance report debate responses, farmers in the Lubombo Region have reported reduced effectiveness, with some pests now resistant to it. The minister for Agriculture previously revealed that agro-dealers and stores selling Masta 900 had been urged to exhaust their stock as the ban date would soon be announced. Minister Tshawuka said the ministry had been sensitising the public through various channels, including radio and television.
He said this effort was intended to give emaSwati, farmers and retailers time to assess and review the alternatives to Masta 900 available in stores.
“People should be well prepared before the ban is enforced, so we are giving them leeway to ensure this preparation is done,” Tshawuka said.
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Global action against deadly pesticides vigorous
MBABANE – Pesticide Action Network (PAN) has hailed countries moving to ban Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) that are harming people and the environment.
This follows the release of its sixth edition of the PAN International Consolidated List of Banned Pesticides.
The list provides a foundation for political action, offering a comprehensive record of pesticides that many countries have deemed too hazardous for use and for which safer alternatives have been identified. PAN International also urged member States of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Council to accelerate progress towards the global goal of phasing out HHPs by 2030.
According to PAN, the latest edition adds 73 new pesticide active ingredients that have been banned by governments in at least one of 168 countries due to risks to human health and/or the environment. The European Union and the United Kingdom once again ranked highest with 464 banned pesticides, followed by Turkey (212) and Saudi Arabia (201). Brazil (133) leads Latin America, while Indonesia (62) and Cambodia (60) top Asia — though the region still lags significantly behind. Despite the progress, PAN stressed the urgent need for stronger global action to ban more hazardous pesticides, particularly in Asia, Africa and Latin America, where most of these chemicals are still used.
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The Minister for Agriculture, Mandla Tshawuka, has assured that the longevity of crop farming was still possible without Masta 900, as there were numerous less harmful alternatives that the ministry had already enlisted. (Eswatini Government))