Pesticide Board ramps up efforts to promote safe handling of pesticides, proper storage

Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

The Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Control Board today continued its campaign to educate farmers and members of communities across Guyana on the safe handling and storage of pesticides, with another well attended seminar at no.47 village, Corentyne, Berbice.

Over the past two years, the Pesticide Board has been educating farmers on how to safely handle pesticides both on the farm and in domestic applications. Farmers have been exposed to training in the use of protective gear during the handling of pesticides through seminars, as well as through infomercials on local television stations.

Protective gear in the form of coveralls, plastic gloves and goggles have been distributed to farmers across Guyana.

Just over a year ago, the board in its bid to further encourage the safe storage of pesticides, commissioned the construction of storage cabinets that are properly labelled. These cabinets have been given to farmers through a lottery system during the various community outreach seminars.

At today’s seminar 10 storage cabinets were distributed to farmers through the lottery system.

Thus far, approximately 40 storage cabinets have been distributed to farmers across the country.

The aim is to encourage a buy in of the idea by all farmers and householders in using the cabinets as a model for the construction of similar facilities to further ensure that all chemicals on the farm or in the home are safely stored under lock and key, away from children and those bent on improper use of these poisons.