Mr. Joseph Edmund, the deputy director in charge of Chemical control and Management Center at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)has sounded a word of caution to agrochemical dealers in the country against open display of agrochemicals at the market centers and shops.
According to him, the sun rays affect those chemicals and reduce the potency and content of the chemicals, and it does not perform the necessary functions, during the application period.
He further outlined the types of agrochemicals used into pesticides (fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, rodenticide, etc.) and fertilizers.
Mr. Edmund, said this in Techiman, during three days of residential training for agrochemical dealers in the Bono East Region.
The training which was organized by African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership, (AFAP) was to broaden the knowledge base of the chemical sellers, such that, they can also use the acquired knowledge and information to educate farmers about the good farming practices and the use of right dosage on their crops.
It was under the theme: “Building Capacity Of Agro-Input Dealers In The Brong Ahafo Regions”
Mr. Edmund frowned on that act, urging all agrochemical dealers in the country to comply with the directive by the Environmental protection Authority. He hinted that the EPA is devising means to sanction such recalcitrant dealers in no time.
In a bid to control weeds, pests and increase production, farmers, resort to the use of pesticides, weedicide, and fertilizer in their farming activities.
But due to lack of technical know-how, farmers, sometimes, misuse or misapply the right quantities which, eventually affect their yields.
He said, many of our farmers, do not have the requisite knowledge and information on the health hazards associated with handling pesticides, hence, the need to sensitize, the agro-dealers who dealt directly with the farmers on daily basis.
The ability to apply the right quantity is dependent on awareness creation and believes, the three – day capacity building for agrochemical dealers in the Bono East Region would go a long way to enhance good crop output and the quality of produce by the farmers.
