Unveiling the Silent Threat; Pesticide Pollution in Pakistan’s Agricultural soils

Abstract

In Pakistan, a nation whose economy and food security are largely reliant on agriculture, pesticide contamination of agricultural soils is becoming an increasingly serious environmental issue.Pesticides improve the crop production and keep the pests under control but the cost our agricultural lands pay is very high yet unnoticed. In Pakistan, farmers frequently use chemical pesticides as their main method of controlling pests. The overuse of pesticides is partly caused by a lack of knowledge about sustainable alternatives and integrated pest management (IPM) techniques. Excessive use of pesticides ultimately leads to soil quality deterioration and barren lands which are no longer convenient for agriculture. Unmonitored pesticide application is not just contributing to land pollution but water and air pollution are also taking a rise. Pesticide usage is also increasing because of the growing demand of the country. More food is required to cater for a greater population and to support the urbanization infrastructure effectively. The majority of pesticides in Pakistan are used on cotton crops (which account for roughly 70–85% of all pesticide applications), as well as other crops like wheat, sugarcane, maize, potato, rice and tobacco. There have been reports of various pesticide groups, particularly organochlorine residues, in the soil and water of various parts of Pakistan causing health threats to the local population. In-depth investigation of the origins, kinds, distribution, and possible effects on soil quality are provided by this study of pesticide contamination in Pakistani agricultural soils across the region of Jalalpur Nangyana located in the tehsil of Sargodha.