Health and consumer rights advocates wary of hazardous chemical spraying

Health and consumer rights advocates wants the government of Uganda to immediately ban the use of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) because of its hazardous effect on the crops, the environment and the he health of the unsuspecting consumers.

However it appears as if the pressure to increase agricultural output for increased trade and food security seems to have overshadowed everything else, paving way for the rising practices in the use of herbicides in agricultural production.
According to Deloitte, since the patent for Glyphosate expired in 2000, prices in sub-Saharan Africa in general and Uganda in particular have fallen with the entry of new brands and availability even in rural areas has increased.

Glyphosate is one of the widely used herbicides for agricultural production, commanding 75 per cent of the herbicides market in the country, according to statement issued by SEATINI-U, CEFROHT and Food Rights Alliance.
Surprisingly this is one of the least discussed topics in trade, health and food security discourse particularly the aspect of how harmful agrochemicals like glyphosate negatively impact on Uganda’s trade competitiveness, food security and increases in the disease burden in the country, especially the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The proponents of the ban say the government has also failed to prevent the presence of pesticides residues in agricultural products on Ugandan market, something that threatens the country’s trade competitiveness.

They base their arguments on several grounds including a research done last year (2019) by AFSA, noting that whereas glyphosate and the additives used in formulations have penetrated all spheres of the environment and food chains, restrictions and outright bans on the use of glyphosate have grown at an incredible pace following a new study indicating adverse chemical effects on the health of living organisms.
The research shows that the genotoxicity (chemical agents) of glyphosate causes many chronic illnesses including Alzheimer’s Disease, Autism, Birth Defects, various forms of cancer, Celiac Disease, Colitis, Heart Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome, Kidney Disease, Liver Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease.

“Indeed, although all synthetic agrochemicals are potentially harmful, some of these chemicals like glyphosate are carcinogenic4 as declared by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2015,” reads a joint statement issued by SEATINI-Uganda, CEFROHT and Food Rights Alliance last week.
Speaking at the SEATINI-Uganda, CEFROHT and Food Rights Alliance experts roundtable meeting on harmful agrochemicals use and their effect on trade, health and food in Uganda, the programme officer at GRAIN Uganda, Ms Susan Nakacwa whose organisation supports small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems, said the use of the such chemicals in agriculture speaks to economic exploitation of the farmers, thanks to the government liberalisation policy.

Mr Richard Henry Kimera, a renowned consumer advocate, while speaking at the meeting of the expert stressed the importance of surveillance and investigation, further suggesting suing officials or the government ministries, departments and agencies that go about their work negligently for negligence.
As for the executive director of Food Rights Alliance (FRA), Ms Agnes Kirabo, it is within the government powers to stop the access of the harmful chemical from entering the country, saying that such herbicides pass freely through the country’s customs points.

Ms Jane Seruwagi Nalunga, the Country Director of SEATINI Uganda, a leading institution working on issues of trade, fiscal and development issues, wants the government to learn from countries that banned the use of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides, saying they didn’t do it for any other reason except for protecting their population, the environment and the key economic sector of agriculture.

Handling matters
In his presentation, the executive director of Uganda National Association of Community and Occupational Health (UNACOH) Dr Deogratius Ssekimpi, said: “There is no safe chemical, but there are safe ways of handling chemicals.”
The meeting also urged the government to Implement the National Organic Food Policy as well as implement Section 18 of the Agriculture Chemicals (Control) Act 2007 to regulate the use, transport, storage advertisement and disposal of pesticides.
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