Journal
CROP PROTECTION
Volume 26, Issue 9, Pages 1337-1348Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2007.03.022
Keywords
pesticide; application; effect; primary benefit; secondary benefit; risk; beneficiary; agriculture; public health; economy; pests; diseases
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Most published material relating to pesticides focuses on negative attributes and outcomes. This fact probably partly explains the public's inaccurate perception of the hazard they represent, and the low level of appreciation of the benefits they bring. This paper explores and analyses the many benefits of using pesticides, in order to inform a more balanced view. It does not attempt to quantify or rank these benefits, nor to weigh them against any negative consequences of pesticide use. Twenty-six primary benefits are identified that are immediate and incontrovertible, and 31 secondary benefits that are longer term, less intuitive and for which it is harder to establish causality. These benefits include increased crop and livestock yields, improved food safety, human health, quality of life and longevity, and reduced drudgery, energy use and environmental degradation. A complex matrix of benefit interactions are explored for a range of beneficiaries at three main levels-local, national and global, and in three main domains-social, economic and environmental. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available