Published September 24, 2014
Since the appearance in 1939 of the DDT, the first synthetic insecticide, the dominant agricultural model was built around a high-input-consuming production system. While it has started to find its limits since the 1960s, the main agricultural model remains and is only slightly challenged by alternative models.
On the contrary, the appearance of neonicotinoids, the systemic pesticides sprayed on crops or applied as seed coating – which currently represent 40% of the global pesticide market! – has worsen the problem of unsustainability of the current agricultural system. Their extreme toxicity leads to the weakening of the natural defenses of cultures and promotes proliferation and pest resistance without significantly improving the yields. Making farmers increasingly dependent on chemical inputs and deteriorating margins, this new generation of pesticides continues to profit only the key players in the agro-chemical industry.
Yet, a credible alternative to this model of agriculture exists: agro-ecology, which promotes friendly agronomic solutions such as integrated pest management, and allows to minimize the use of pesticides while maintaining high yields.
What does science say about neonicotinoids and agriculture
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