Village leaders in Yavatmal commits to stop using pesticides and advance non chemical farming practices
PAN India | 3rd December 2024

Village leaders from Bhandari, Moregaon, Dattapur, Manoli and Yerad villages in Yavatmal District, Maharashtra gathered at the annual meeting of Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons on the 3rd December echoed their commitments towards non chemical farming. The meeting was held in commemoration of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984), observed as No Pesticide Use Day. Learning about the harmful effects of toxic pesticides, they showed their interest and commitment to take efforts to eliminate use of toxic pesticides in their villages by advancing non chemical practices based on agreoecology.
“Recognizing the detrimental impact of pesticides on our health and environment, we have made a conscious decision to reduce our reliance on chemical pesticides. Our goal is to move into pesticide-free farming practices in the coming years, promoting a safer more sustainable approach to agriculture” said Ranjana Champat, Sarpanch from Yerad Village.
The Maharashtra Association of Pesticide Poisoned Persons (MAPPP) held its 7th annual meeting on the 3rd of December in Yavatmal, in commemoration of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984), being observed as No Pesticide Use Day. A gathering of farmers, farm labours, elected local self-government representatives, both men and women, deliberated on adverse effects of pesticides. This conclave emphasised on the need to replace hazardous pesticides in farming with non-chemical methods based on agroecology principles. Farmers who have successfully undertaken non-chemical cotton farming recently were richly honoured at the event. The event was jointly organised by MAPPP, Shetkari Nyayahakk Andolan Samithi, Pesticide Action Network India and PAN AP; farmers, farm workers, Sarpanchs and members from a couple of villages joined.
MAPPP has been working jointly with Pesticide Action Network India in the efforts in building capacity of farming community to take up non-chemical farming methods. Over the past couple of years PAN India had given training and capacity building to more than thousand farmers to undertake farming practices without pesticides. Pesticide Action Network has been observing ‘No Pesticide Use Week’ from 3rd December to 10th December, to create awareness on adverse effects of pesticides.
Dr. Narasimha Reddy Donthi, known Public Policy Expert and Campaigner, in his keynote address, highlighted the necessity of adopting sustainable farming practices, by strengthening the farming community, in cooperation, knowledge and skills. He pointed that, “as pesticides are toxic substances, we need to train farmers on how to replace them in farming right from seed to market. At the same time, government institutions have to come up with more specific schemes and programs that support farmers to stop using pesticides and adopt agroecology practices”.
Members of women led pesticide poisoning monitoring committee, a voluntary community led initiative mentored by PAN India were also joined the event. This committee has been set up to sensitize and spread awareness on the adverse effects of pesticides among women in the Yavatmal region. This unique initiative aims to educate farmers and farm workers on the health hazards associated with pesticide exposure and promote agroecology based farming practices in the villages, through women. Members of the committee shared about experiences that they came to now about the adverse effect of pesticides through the meetings of the committees.
The organisers, richly honoured farmers who have been undertaking cotton farming through non-chemical methods in the event. The farmers pointed that they could reduce cultivation cost by about fifty percentage as they stopped buying pesticides and agrochemicals and started using non-chemical pest control preparations and manures from locally available materials by themselves. They shared inspiring stories of transitioning to non-chemical farming, highlighting the benefits of sustainable agriculture and motivating others to follow in their footsteps. Ms. Pratiksha Onkar, presented about the interventions of PAN India among farming community to enhance their skill and practices to move into non-chemical farming methods. As of now nearly one hundred and fifty farmers has been practicing no pesticide farming in cotton in about more than 160 acres.

Farmers who have successfully eliminated use of pesticides in cotton farming honored in the event
A. D. Dileep Kumar, CEO of PAN India pointed that toxic pesticides has been causing more harm to human health and the environment disproportionately, and has been causing several occupational and self-poisonings of our fellow farmers and workers leaving them to suffer miserable life. Therefore we need to strengthen our efforts towards increasing the ability of farming community to give up pesticide usage and take up non-chemical farming practices, which is not only safe to farmers, workers and children but also incur less expenditure than conventional farming practices, and economically benefiting farmers and enhance independence from profit motive of agrochemical trade mill.
Sarpanchs and representatives from Bhandari, Moregaon, Dattapur, Manoli and Yerad villages also joined the event. Learning about the harmful effects of toxic pesticides they showed their commitment to take efforts to gradually reduce use of pesticides in their villages.
“Recognizing the detrimental impact of pesticides on our health and environment, we have made a conscious decision to reduce our reliance on chemical pesticides. Our goal is to move into pesticide-free farming practices in the coming years, promoting a safer more sustainable approach to agriculture” said Ranjana Champat, Sarpanch from Yerad Village.
Sangeetha, Sarpanch of Manoli village said, “pesticide poisonings have devastated the lives of many of our community members. We are now committed to taking prompt action whenever we come to know about such incidents and will work to prevent pesticide poisonings”.
Ashok Pawar, representative of Dattapur village, shard his vision towards mobilizing villagers to get rid of pesticides in farming. “Through collective gatherings and awareness campaigns, we will educate people about the dangers of pesticides and work together to adopt safer farming practices” he said.
The gathering emphasized that synthetic pesticides are harmful to our lives, biodiversity and environment. These synthetic pesticides are being promoted and used as medicines for farming. “Now realizing that these toxic agrochemicals have polluted our food, air and water – literally the life sustaining resources over the past couple of decades, we need to work together to end pesticide intoxication to our life and environment by adopting non-chemical farming methods” the gathering pledged.
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Contacts:
Dr. Narasimha Reddy +91 9010 205 742
A. D. Dileep Kumar +91 9447 340 748
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