#StopHarm, a major new campaign lunched today by IFOAM Organics Europe, aims to raise awareness of the social, economic and environmental impacts of synthetic pesticides on communities, and reprioritise pesticides reduction as a central objective of the EU’s future vision for agriculture and food.
“The need to progressively phase out harmful pesticides from our food production system and to provide farmers with alternatives should remain high on the political agenda. Organic agriculture already offers some solutions based on agroecological methods but investment in research and innovation should continue to provide all farmers with agronomic techniques to ensure sufficient production while reducing production costs and securing a decent income”, said Eduardo Cuoco, IFOAM Organics Europe director.
“With the CAP and European research programmes, the EU already has important policy tools and budgets to accompany and support farmers to phase out toxic synthetic pesticides, but more policy action is needed to protect drinking water and to ensure easier and faster access of farmers to biocontrol solutions and to independent advisory services. The best way to ensure sufficient and resilient food production in Europe is to restore soil health with agroecological practices that do not rely on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers”, added Eric Gall, deputy director. “Pesticides reduction will deliver many benefits for health, biodiversity, and for European sovereignty and competitiveness, as it will reduce depollution costs, healthcare spending, and production costs”.
The #StopHarm campaign uses infographics to help visualise the multiple impacts of the widespread use of synthetic pesticides – on farmers’ health and their families, on water resources, the massive costs of depollution, and negative impacts on biodiversity. Specific visuals appear on IFOAM Organic Europe’s social channels over the coming next weeks to highlight all these aspects.
Sources and references are available at the IFOAM Organics Europe website on this page: http://www.organicseurope.bio/stopharm.
Main image: Naturland/Being Organic in Europe