The ManicaPost
Blessing Rwizi Post Correspondent
CHIMANIMANI-BASED permaculturist, Mr Julious Piti, has called on smallholder farmers to refrain from applying toxic chemicals on their land. Speaking during the 2017 International Permaculture Convergence (IPC) which was recently held in Hyderabad, India, Mr Piti, said toxic chemicals were a menace to soil, plants, animal and human lives.
The 13th edition of the IPC kicked off on November 27 and ended yesterday (Thursday) under the theme: “Towards healthy societies”. It was attended by more than 1 200 delegates from 70 countries across the globe. Its primary objective was to provide farmers with an opportunity to get inspired and learn how their current challenges can be solved using permaculture principles.
Toxic chemicals can be referred to as any chemical which, through its chemical action on life processes, can cause death, temporary incapacitation, or permanent harm to humans or animals. This includes all such chemicals, regardless of their origin or of their method of production, and regardless of whether they are produced in facilities, in munitions or elsewhere.
“Toxic chemicals are a threat to plants, animal and human lives. Farmers should avoid the use of these chemicals on their farms. The application of toxic chemicals on crops exposes our relatives and the entire nation to vegetables and other foodstuffs heavily laden with carcinogenic material that cause cancer among other serious ailments.
“When pesticides are applied onto a surface, they travel outside their intended area of use by air, soil or water. This is one common way in which chemical pesticides cause collateral damage, beyond their intended use,” said Mr Piti.
“Farmers should by all means try and produce organically grown food as they also have high market value. In that case, they can reduce unnecessary inputs that can be replaced by making contours, use manure from our cattle kraal, use organic pest and disease management best known by elderly,” he said.
Mr Piti represented Chikukwa Ecological Land Use Community Trust (CELUCT), TSURO Trust, PORET and Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM) and the entirety of Zimbabwe at the 2017 IPC that was meant to discuss a number of things that empowers communities towards self-help and practical solutions.
