IFOAM Organics Europe launches a campaign to raise awareness of the social, economic and environmental impacts of synthetic pesticides on our communities, and to call for pesticides reduction to remain a central objective of the future Vision for agriculture and food.
“The need to progressively phase out harmful pesticides from our food production system and to provide farmers with alternatives should remain high on the political agenda. Organic agriculture already offers some solutions based on agroecological methods but investment in research and innovation should continue to provide all farmers with agronomic techniques to ensure sufficient production while reducing production costs and securing a decent income”, said Eduardo Cuoco, IFOAM Organics Europe director.
“With the CAP and European research programmes, the EU already has important policy tools and budgets to accompany and support farmers to phase out toxic synthetic pesticides, but more policy action is needed to protect drinking water and to ensure easier and faster access of farmers to biocontrol solutions and to independent advisory services. The best way to ensure sufficient and resilient food production in Europe is to restore soil health with agroecological practices that do not rely on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers”, added Eric Gall, deputy director.
The #StopHarm campaign attempts to visualise through infographics the numerous impacts of the widespread use of synthetic pesticides
“Pesticides reduction will deliver many benefits for health, biodiversity, and for European sovereignty and competitiveness, as it will reduce depollution costs, healthcare spending, and production costs”.
The #StopHarm campaign attempts to visualise through infographics the numerous impacts of the widespread use of synthetic pesticides, e.g. on farmers’ health and their families, who are the first victims of pesticides, on water resources, with massive costs of depollution, and on biodiversity. Specific visuals will be published on social media on a regular basis in the next weeks, to highlight all these aspects.
Further information at www.organicseurope.bio
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