Antibiotic Use on Crops Is Discouraged by the Department of Agricultural Extension

It is extremely worrying that unlawful and illogical antibiotic use on crops persists despite fierce opposition from agriculturalists and medical professionals as well as the government's pledge to ban pesticides based on antibiotics.

Antibiotics on crops must end

(Photo : MONEY SHARMA/AFP via Getty Images)

According to a December 15 article in New Age, the Department of Agricultural Extension has maintained a strict code of secrecy regarding these pesticides, frequently assuring that their abolition is imminent while other government-funded agricultural research organizations have chosen to ignore the issue, leading to the high use of antibiotics on crops.

Furthermore, it is troubling that no public agricultural organizations, including the DAE, the Bangladesh Crop Protection Association, or others, have any idea of how many antibiotics are used there annually.

Since 20 businesses are permitted to advertise antibiotics as pesticides, a private company official estimates that their annual antibiotic import is roughly 10 tonnes.

As a result, it is assumed that antibiotic use is very high.

In April, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning that Bangladesh was very sensitive to antibiotic resistance and was heading toward a pandemic that was probably brought on by antimicrobial resistance.

According to medical professionals, a pandemic brought on by antimicrobial resistance could be even scarier than the Covid epidemic.

According to a 2021 study by the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, people in the nation misuse and abuse antibiotics that are offered over the counter, which causes them to lose up to 50% of their effectiveness.

Also Read: Safer Pesticides? Targeted Control May be Our Best Bet

Crops with antibiotic risk to human

According to estimates, the production of food animals uses more than half of all antibiotics in the US.

Unappreciated as a problem is the overuse of antimicrobials in the production of food animals, as per Apua.

Each time bacteria are contacted with antimicrobials, the chance of acquiring resistance increases in both human and veterinary medicine.

Even common bacteria can become resistant to treatment, which increases the risk of infections.

Scientific authorities in a number of nations, including the US, have reviewed agricultural methods as a result of accumulating evidence linking the use of antimicrobials in animal husbandry with the rise in bacterial resistance in humans.

Neem oil a great organic pesticide for crops

India's native neem trees (Azadirachta indica) are the sources of neem seed oil, a kind of vegetable oil. An organic pesticide for organic farming, azadirachtin, is an active component of organic neem oil, as per MasterClass

Gardeners use neem oil as an insecticide, fungicide, and miticide on their indoor plants and outdoor food gardens.

Neem oil is deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use around pets and indoor plants.

Other neem oil products include neem cakes, a sort of soil amendment, and blends with some other insect-repellent essential oils.

Neem oil works well as a preventative strategy as well as a pest control treatment for an existing infestation.

Use neem oil either in the morning or at night.

It should not be used in the middle of the day because it might burn plants when combined with sunshine.

Furthermore, neem oil kills pests at all steps of their life cycles, including eggs, larvae (also known as grubs), pupae, and adults, making it effective during the entire growing season.

Related Article: USDA Debates: Are Recirculating Agricultural Methods Considered 'Organic?'