This document discusses the long-term effects of agrochemicals on the environment. It notes that while agrochemicals have increased food production, they have also negatively impacted the soil, water, air, and human health. The overuse of agrochemicals has killed beneficial soil organisms, increased nitrate levels in soil, polluted water sources, contributed to air pollution through pesticide drift, and posed health risks to farmers and rural communities through direct exposure. The ideal pesticide would only impact the target pest and break down harmlessly, but in reality no such chemical exists.

1. LONG TERM EFFECT OF
AGROCHEMICALS ON ENVIRONMENT
Submitted by
Shruthi k
PALB 4195
Dept of Forestry and
environmental science

2. CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. GLOBAL LEVEL AGROCHEMICAL CONSUMPTION AND USE
3. EFFECT OF AGROCHEMICALS ON ENVIRONMENT
a) SOIL
b) WATER
c) AIR
d) HUMAN HEALTH
4. CONCLUSION

3. INTRODUCTION
• Agrochemicals are chemicals which are
used in agriculture.
• These are used to improve quality and
quantity of food.

4. GLOBAL LEVEL AGROCHEMICAL
CONSUMPTION AND USE

5. Is it really possible to grow
crops without agrochemicals ?

7. Before Green Revolution

8. Father of the Green Revolution

9. Father of Green Revolution in India M.S. Swaminathan

10. High yielding varieties

12. EFFECT OF AGROCHEMICALS ON
ENVIRONMENT
• Soil
• Water
• Air
• Human health

13. 1.SOIL HEALTH
• Soil health is the
capacity of soil to
function within
ecosystem and land
use boundaries, to
sustain productivity
maintain
environmental
quality, and
promote plant and
animal health.

15. CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTHY SOILS
• Good soil tilth.
• Sufficient depth.
• Sufficient but not excess of nutrients.
• Small population of plant pathogens and
insects.
• Good drainage.
• Large population of beneficial organisms.
• Low weed pressure.
• Free of chemicals and toxins
• Resistant to degradation.

16. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF
AGROCHEMICALS ON SOIL HEALTH
• Kills beneficial organisms.
• Increase in nitrate levels of soils.
• Damage natural make up of soil.
• Alters the pH.
• Decrease soil quality.
• Kills soil organisms.
• Toxic to microbes.
• Toxicity availability of nutrients.
• Kills earthworms.
• Growth regulators:
• Residual effect.
• Toxic to soil organisms.

17. 2.EFFECT ON WATER
• Water become unfit for
drinking.
• The runoff of
agrochemicals into
streams, lakes, and
other surface waters
can increase the growth
of algae.
• Eutrophication- Change
in quality and
composition of aquatic
ecosystems by
accumulation of
excessive chemicals in
water bodies.

18. • Polluted water
leading to the
death of fish and
other aquatic
animals.
• Excessive use of
agrochemicals has
led to the
contamination of
groundwater .

19. PESTICIDE PATHWAY
ENTERING WATER
• There are four major
routes through which
pesticides reach the
water: it may drift
outside of the intended
area when it is sprayed,
it may percolate, or
leach, through the soil,
it may be carried to the
water as runoff, or it
may be spilled, for
example accidentally or
through neglect. They
may also be carried to
water by eroding soil.

20. 3. EFFECT ON AIR
• Pesticides can contribute to
air pollution.
• Pesticide drift occurs when
pesticides suspended in the
air as particles are carried
by wind to other areas.
• Weather conditions at the
time of application as well as
temperature and relative
humidity change the spread
of the pesticide in the air.

21. • Low relative
humidity and high
temperature result
in more spray
evaporating.
• The polluted air is
inhaled by humans
end with up with
different diseases.

22. Kerala’s Endosulfan Tragedy
• The UNO classifies
Endosulfan as highly
dangerous insect killer
and banned in 62
countries.
• Endosulfan, a highly
toxic organochlorine
pesticide was sprayed
in the cashew
plantations in
Kasaragod District
sine 1976, till 2001
regularly three times
every year.

23. • The aerial spraying of
Endosulfan was allegedly
undertaken to contain the
menace of the tea
mosquito bug.
• By 1990s health disorders
of very serious nature
among the human
population came to the
lime light.
• Children were found to be
the worst affected with
congenital anomalies,
mental retardation,
physical deformities,
cerebral palsy, epilepsy
etc

25. 3.Human health
• Direct effect
• Indirect effect
Air
Water
Food chain
Ingestion

26. • Pesticides can enter the body
through inhalation of aerosols,
dust and vapour that contain
pesticides; through oral exposure
by consuming food/water; and
through skin exposure by direct
contact.
• The effects of pesticides on
human health depend on the
toxicity of the chemical and the
length and magnitude of
exposure.
• Farm workers and their family
experience the greatest exposure
to agricultural pesticides through
direct contact.
PESTICIDES ENTERING HUMAN BODY

27. • Pesticide exposure can
cause a variety of adverse
health effects, ranging
from simple irritation of
the skin and eyes.
• It also affects the
nervous system, mimicking
hormones causing
reproductive problems,
and also causing cancer.
• Children are more
susceptible and sensitive
to pesticides, because
they are still developing
and have a weaker immune
system than adults.

30. The ideal Pesticide and the Nightmare
Insect Pest
• The ideal pest-killing chemical has
these qualities:
• Kill only target pest.
• Not cause genetic resistance in the
target organism.
• Disappear or break down into harmless
chemicals after doing its job.
• Be more cost-effective than doing
nothing. It would stay exactly where it
was put and not move around in the
environment.
• There is no such thing!

31. Pesticides and the Law
• The EPA & USDA are responsible for
the overseeing the laws.

32. FIFRA
• The Federal Insecticide,
Fungicide & Rodenticide
Act
• It was first established
in 1947 & revised as
recently as 1996.
• It states what must be
on a pesticide label &
requires registration of
all pesticides.

33. FFDCA
• Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act
• Strengthened in 1996
• Sets pesticide tolerance levels

34. FQPA
• Food Quality Protection Act
• Established in 1996
• Amends both FIFRA and FFDCA.

35. Rachel Carson
• Rachel Carson lived from 1907 to 1964.
• She published her famous work Silent Spring
in 1962.

36. • SILENT SPRING heightened
public awareness and
concern about the dangers
of uncontrolled use of DDT
and other pesticides,
including poisoning wildlife
and contaminating human
food supplies.

37. • The World Health Organization and the UN
Environment Programme estimate that each
year, 3 million workers in agriculture in the
developing world experience severe poisoning
from pesticides, about 18,000 of whom die.
• 99% of pesticide related deaths occur in
developing countries that account for only 25%
of pesticide usage.
• According to one study, as many as 25 million
workers in developing countries may suffer mild
pesticide poisoning yearly.

38. MALLES VILLAGE , ITALY
• It is a village of 5000
inhabitants, close to the
Austrian and Swiss
border, become a
lighthouse for an organic
future for Europe’s
agriculture.
• Now this village is
surrounded by thousands
of pesticides-free yellow
and red apples.

39. REFERENCES
• Introductory soil science – Dr. Dilip Kumar Das.
• www.wikipedia.com
• www.slideshare.com

40. THANK YOU