Health risks of pesticides to non target species and ecosystem due to control of migrant pests in Tanzania

Abstract

This report is a review of impacts of pesticides on non taget species and the ecosystem in Tanzania. The use of pesticides in Agriculture and other activities has increased rapidly in the past decades in developing countries following expansion of new areas of production and need to increase productivity per given area in order to meet demand to feed the increasing populations in developing countries. Although the largest quantities of pesticides are still consumed by western countries, many cases of pesticide poisoning occurred in developing countries. This is due to lack of knowledge on proper handling of pesticides, widespread ignorance of risks involved, lack of reinforcement of legislation governing pesticides and inadequate extension services especially in rural areas. Other factors are like lack or minimun use of full protective clothing, poor disporsal methods and mis handling of empty pesticides containers accounts for increased risks of pesticides poisoning to the agricultural workers, general public and the environmental pullution. The purpose of this review is to focus on health effects of pesticides that are used to control migrant agricultural pests to non target organisms and the ecosystem in Tanzania.