Chemicals

The project is addressing the improper management of Agro-chemicals, including POPs (persistent organic pollutants) and chemicals gives rise to enormous problems for human health and the environment. Pesticides containing organochlorine and organophosphates as active ingredients have been reported to cause cancer, birth defects, nervous system disorders, heart, kidneys and lung diseases. The project will empower agriculture extension officers and smallholder farming community to reduce the risks of impact of agro-chemicals and encourage sustainable land management through practice of integrated pest management methods. The demonstration of integrated pest management will be on the same site as the indigenous chicken demonstration (biodiversity). The heavily degraded land which host the chickens will be rehabilitated into productive use and integrated pest management (IPM) will be demonstrated under vegetable and fruits production. Both IPM and chickens will complement each other as manure will be used to improve the soils for vegetable production, and also grow worms for the chickens.

Lesotho