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Dangers Of Using Herbicides To Dry Cereals

by Wangah Wanyama
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By  Jovita Mirembe

In a bid to make quick money, Ugandan farmers have increasingly  resorted  to  using herbicides for drying maize and beans after harvest.

The practice of using herbicides to dry maize and beans after harvest has come under inspection by researchers where they found   hidden dangers of this practice.

Dr.  Henry Galiwango, a researcher  from Makerere University’s School of Education, said that  the widespread adoption of herbicides for this purpose has prompted concerns among experts who warn of the unintended risks associated with their use in Uganda’s Aagriculture sector.

He said that  the cancer disease  is one of the  deadly  threatening diseases  that has a  large  evidence increasing  suggestion with  a link between herbicide exposure and  its  development.

Galiwango said that when farmers use this method , it  exposes them  and consumers to potential health and environmental hazards.

‘’ The widespread adoption of herbicides  as a  drying methods for  beans and maize   has prompted concerns among experts who warn of the unintended risks associated with their use in Uganda’s agriculture sector.

As  a prominent voice in advocating for safer drying practices, my  expertise sheds light on the risks associated with herbicide use  where  I  offer practical recommendations to promote sustainable farming in the face of this growing challenge. I have brought attention to the significant health risks, environmental concerns, and the imperative for ecosystem conservation associated with herbicide use in crop drying’’ Galiwango said

 He added that  herbicides were  originally designed for weed control  not drying purposes because , residual traces remain in the harvested crops. These residues can contaminate the food supply chain, potentially causing long-term health effects such as organ damage, hormonal disruption, and an increased risk of certain cancers.

Albert Kakande  the CEO of  Mende, Masulita and Gombe  Agroecology group( MEMAGO)    said that use of herbicides in drying beans and maize  affects the soil  health.

MEMAGO deals  in producing  organic  fertilizers, organic  pesticides and fungicides and general  organic agricultural  training.  

Farmers drying maize. Photos by Jovita Mirembe

He says that in this  the ability of food nutrients to be up taken from the soil through the root system of the plants is a huge factor of living microorganisms known as microbes is not reached upon.

Kakande said that these microbes do the breakdown of food nutrients for the plant to take up, e.g, breaking down the protein and amino acid components into the required form of nitrogen as plant food.

‘The continued spraying of the glyphosate based herbicides not only kills off the grass plus damaging the tissues of the fruits to look as if they are ripe, but  the herbicides also kill off the very important microbes, leaving the soil depleted and warn out. Depleted soils are an extra burden to the farmer, as he/she will be having to buy fertilizers during  each planting season’ Kakande said

He said that using herbicides  as a drying method  brings about  an effect on the quality of  the produce many times, poor quality produce i.e. maize, beans have stormed  both the local and export markets.   Kakande said that many times produce from Uganda has been rejected by international markets because of traces of agrochemicals as well as toxins hence  leading  to loss of revenues for the country.

He says that several other diseases and genetic alterations have been tracked to be caused by agrochemical residues found in herbicides. Respiratory diseases like asthma and allergies are a common ailments caused by herbicide use too.

‘As organic agriculture and agroecology devotees, we at MEMAGO Agroecology group have continued to sensitize and train farmers on the dangers of the practice of hurrying ripening of crops by spraying glyphosate and other chemicals on cereals, legumes and fruits. We have engaged in several innovations on organic farm inputs ie bio-fertilizers, bio-pest and fungicides, as well as herbicides. The future of responsible land use has been compromised by such acts of quick yet dangerous desire for returns from the garden’ Kakande adds   

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