CHAPTER TWO: PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK AGRICULTURE AND PEST MANAGEMENT IN MALAWI Production of both crops and livestock in Malawi is limited by a number of factors, which include aspects of weather, low soil fertility, poor agronomic practices and the incidence of insect pests and diseases. The outbreaks of insect and diseases in Malawi are currently on the increase as they are known to cause crop losses of up to 30% (Coffman 1992). Malawi, like most of the et al, countries that depend on agriculture, uses some considerable amount of pesticides as one way of combating pest problems. The pesticides that are used in Malawi include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, fumigants, nematocides, Acaricide and rodenticides. To some extent, other products such as growth regulators, repellents, molluscicides and parasiticides are also used. Recently some scientists have initiated the testing of some botanical plants to regulate pests. The major crops that are grown in Malawi, for which pesticides are used, include tobacco, sugarcane, coffee, maize, cotton and tea. Pesticides are used for these crops to prevent and control the various pests and diseases that attack them. Table 2.1 illustrates the estimated use of pesticides in Malawi by crop. Table 2.1 Pesticides use in Malawi for the Major Crops CROP ESTIMATED USE (% of total) Tobacco 40-50 Coffee 15-20 Sugarcane 10-15 Cotton 10 Tea 5 Maize 4 Source: Pesticides Control Board, 2004 Malawi does not manufacture pesticides. This means that all pesticides that are consumed in the country are imported. There are some chemical companies that import pesticides into the country and these in turn supply the pesticides to various stakeholders in both crops and livestock production. The most abundantly consumed products are insecticides, followed by herbicides and then fumigants, fungicides and rodenticides. Herbicides are mostly used in sugar plantations, whereas fumigants are mostly used in the tobacco industries. Insecticides are mostly used in field crops particularly maize. The major importers of pesticides in Malawi are: Farmers Organizations; Chemicals and Marketing; Agricultural Trading Company (A.T.C); Coffee / Tea Association of Malawi; Sugar Corporation of Malawi (SUCOMA); and Leaf
CHAPTER TWO: PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK AGRICULTURE AND PEST MANAGEMENT IN MALAWI Production of both crops and livestock in Malawi is limited by a number of factors, which include aspects of weather, low soil fertility, poor agronomic practices and the incidence of insect pests and diseases. The outbreaks of insect and diseases in Malawi are currently on the increase as they are known to cause crop losses of up to 30% (Coffman et al, 1992). Malawi, like most of the countries that depend on agriculture, uses some considerable amount of pesticides as one way of combating pest problems. The pesticides that are used in Malawi include insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, fumigants, nematocides, Acaricide and rodenticides. To some extent, other products such as growth regulators, repellents, molluscicides and parasiticides are also used. Recently some scientists have initiated the testing of some botanical plants to regulate pests. The major crops that are grown in Malawi, for which pesticides are used, include tobacco, sugarcane, coffee, maize, cotton and tea. Pesticides are used for these crops to prevent and control the various pests and diseases that attack them. Table 2.1 illustrates the estimated use of pesticides in Malawi by crop. Table 2.1 Pesticides use in Malawi for the Major Crops CROP ESTIMATED USE (% of total) Tobacco 40-50 Coffee 15-20 Sugarcane 10-15 Cotton 10 Tea 5 Maize 4 Source: Pesticides Control Board, 2004 Malawi does not manufacture pesticides. This means that all pesticides that are consumed in the country are imported. There are some chemical companies that import pesticides into the country and these in turn supply the pesticides to various stakeholders in both crops and livestock production. The most abundantly consumed products are insecticides, followed by herbicides and then fumigants, fungicides and rodenticides. Herbicides are mostly used in sugar plantations, whereas fumigants are mostly used in the tobacco industries. Insecticides are mostly used in field crops particularly maize. The major importers of pesticides in Malawi are: Farmers Organizations; Chemicals and Marketing; Agricultural Trading Company (A.T.C); Coffee / Tea Association of Malawi; Sugar Corporation of Malawi (SUCOMA); and Leaf
E43620v20EA0P1489640Box379878B00PUBLIC0.docx