The Week for Alternatives to Pesticides is initiated by Citizen Action for Alternatives to Pesticides, a network of 170 organizations created by the Future Generations association. Since its launch in 2006, this original initiative has emerged as a unifying and innovative event that maintains pressure on decision-makers and proves that pesticides can and should be dispensed with. This edition is the ^8th and several events are listed in the world.

The Week for Alternatives to Pesticides is initiated by Citizen Action for Alternatives to Pesticides, a network of 170 organizations created by the Future Generations association. Since its launch in 2006, this original initiative has emerged as a unifying and innovative event that maintains pressure on decision-makers and proves that pesticides can and should be dispensed with. This edition is the ^8th and several events are listed in the world.

For its part, Africa will organize for the third year in a row the week for alternatives to pesticides under the coordination of PAN (Pesticide Action Network) Africa.

The global market for pesticides is around 40 billion US dollars per year (2008). Africa represents only 4% (or 1.5 billion US dollars) of the global market. Despite the use of these chemicals, losses caused by various pests and diseases account for nearly 50% in Africa.

According to the WHO 30% of pesticides sold in developing countries do not meet internationally accepted standards. This market represents nearly 900 million US dollars per year.

African producers are certainly the least equipped to protect themselves and their communities from the harmful effects of pesticides. The vast majority of them are not literate (therefore cannot read the instructions on the labels), are not trained in agricultural techniques, do not have easy access to information to grow their crops successfully and there is also poverty, which is a significant factor. Thus, even if Africa uses a smaller volume of pesticides than elsewhere in the world, the low quantities used present very high risks for health and the environment.

In many developing countries, children are more at risk of pesticide poisoning than adults and need to be protected. According to FAO, the annual number of poisonings of children by these products is between 1 and 5 million, including several thousand fatal cases.

Developing countries that use only 25% of the pesticides produced in the world account for 99% of deaths due to this type of poisoning. In Africa, the transport of dangerous substances, their storage and their use are not fully controlled. Persistent, bio-cumulative and/or toxic substances proliferate in the environment causing air, marine or terrestrial pollution.

Under these conditions, the first step is to limit exposure to these products. This certainly requires awareness-raising among communities!

For more information on the event www.semaine-ans-pesticides.com