HYDERABAD, April 24: The pesticide manufacturing companies and the provincial agriculture department are duty-bound to educate the growers about the harmful effects of the agricultural products and also guide them regarding taking precautionary measures in this regard.

This was said by district Nazim Makhdoom Rafiquzzaman while speaking at a seminar, jointly organized by the agriculture department and an NGO, Crop Life, Pakistan, on ‘Poisonous Effects of Pesticides and Their Correct Use.’

Stressing the need to create awareness about the toxic nature of the agricultural products, the Nazim said that officials of the agriculture department would have to frequently visit the rural areas and use the medium of films to educate the people about the harmful effects of pesticides besides providing them up-to-date information on farming.

Speaking on the occasion, DCO Mukhtar Ahmed Aziz urged extreme care while handling pesticides, saying that the chief secretary, Sindh, had taken serious notice of the incident in which some children had died a year ago as a result of carelessness in this regard.

He expressed the hope that through the seminar, the agricultural experts would provide useful information to growers.

EDO (agriculture) Shahabuddin Siddiqui, on the occasion said that there were 98 farmers’ field schools in Sindh providing growers vital information about every aspect of agriculture, including the correct use of pesticides.

He said that training programmes would be conducted to create awareness among the people about the harmful effects of pesticides.