Action on Pesticides – Health and Economic Consequences of Pesticide Use: The Experience of Research Collaboration on Pesticides in Southern Africa

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cairncross E ; London L ; Muangirwa C ; Ngowi AVN ; Perry M ; Rother HA
• Description:
  Introduction: Pesticides pose an important environmental health hazard for rural populations in many developing countries. Accordingly, research into the health and economic consequences of pesticide use, and action to control pesticide hazards offers a significant opportunity to enhance local capacity to manage the problem. Methods: The experience of collaboration developed between partners in South Africa, Tanzania and the US over the past three years, funded through US and Swedish agencies is described, with a view to identifying important lessons for international research collaboration, particularly from a South-South perspective. Results: The Health, Environment and Economic Development (HEED) programme of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) funded a planning grant to support collaboration in Tanzania and South Africa to undertake a mix of social science and epidemiological research into pesticide hazards, so as to inform policy. This has been recently strengthened by a biregional programme to enhance occupational health capacity in the SADC region, funded by the Swedish International Development Agency, in which Action on Pesticides is a key sub-project. Central to both programmes are strategies that seek to build capacity in the region on pesticide research. Key gaps/obstacles in local capacity identified early on included: lack of laboratory analytical skills and equipment; telecommunications obstacles; lack of reliable email connectivity between SADC centres; ambivalence expressed by industry opportunities and their utilisation for project staff; diversity of agricultural settings enabling comparison of methods and data; use of multidisciplinary approaches in the team; tapping of complementary research funding and training opportunities; and strong institutional support locally, regionally and internationally. The collaboration has successfully linked in with other regional initiative on bioethics training and capacity building through the FIC, as well as drawing more widely on international experiences of collaborative initiatives within developing countries. Conclusion: A long-term vision over the next decade has the potential to significantly build local capacity in a sustainable manner, whilst impacting on policy and programmes related to pesticides, trade, health and economic development. Successful collaboration between scientists in developing countries of the south is key to this process, as is the support of international agencies. and inadequate conditions of service for local researchers. Strengths identified included: strong track record of participating institutions in pesticides research; high levels of motivation; availability of training opportunities and their utilisation for project staff; diversity of agricultural settings enabling comparison of methods and data; use of multidisciplinary approaches in the team; tapping of complementary research funding and training opportunities; and strong institutional support locally, regionally and internationally. The collaboration has successfully linked in with other regional initiative on bioethics training and capacity building through the FIC, as well as drawing more widely on international experiences of collaborative initiatives within developing countries. Conclusion: A long-term vision over the next decade has the potential to significantly build local capacity in a sustainable manner, whilst impacting on policy and programmes related to pesticides, trade, health and economic development. Successful collaboration between scientists in developing countries of the south is key to this process, as is the support of international agencies. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Agriculture Economics Environmental Exposure Epidemiology Insecticides Laboratories Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Staff Development

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• Keywords:
  Agricultural Analytical Instruments Economic Impact Environmental Exposure Exposure Levels Hazards Health Effects Pesticides Risk Factors Socioeconomics Training

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• ISSN:
  1044-3983
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20057634
• Citation:
  Epidemiology 2005 Sep; 16(5):S29-S30
• Contact Point Address:
  L London, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Unit, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2005
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20030701
• Source Full Name:
  Epidemiology
• End Date:
  20050630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d364d9d260aeb362a211fdbf73f90811064bfe52dc4203e08826594a2991c139d48e499bfb8caa3c1e928232fb059fb331ebce212338676f4b9c8bea71c61e77
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/214906/cdc_214906_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 77.41 KB ]