HYDERABAD, April 29: As many as 3,220 agriculture officers, doctors, farmers, field assistants and pesticide dealers will be imparted training in safe use of pesticides.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, the EDO, agriculture, and organizer of the training programme, Shahbuddin Siddiqui, said these trainings were being organized in collaboration with the Crop Life Pakistan.

The EDO said in the first Training of Trainers (ToT) programme, 170 agriculture officials, to be divided in four groups, of the Hyderabad district would be imparted training in safe use and handling of pesticides.

The first batch would be given training at a local hotel on April 30 and the remaining batches would be imparted training on May 5, 6 and 7, he added.

After acquiring knowledge, he further said, these officials would train about 2,800 growers in the district during the current Kharif season.

Mr Siddiqui said 50 doctors of basic health centres would be trained in pesticide poisoning treatment in the second ToT programme, to be held on May 11.

He said in the third and last ToT programme, 250 registered pesticide dealers would be imparted training in safe storage and transportation of pesticide on May 16.

The EDO said a survey of existing practices and safety measures adopted during and after application of pesticides would also be conducted before growers were trained.

The impact study of the programme would be carried out after trainings were over, he said.