Pesticides Threaten Survival of Bees in Rwanda

Quick Summary:

• Pesticides, many banned in the EU but sold by European firms, are causing mass deaths of bees in East African nations, including Rwanda.
• Beekeeping in Rwanda has been severely impacted; losses include decreased honey production and falling earnings for beekeepers.
• Bees are critical pollinators for crops like coffee, tea, avocados, and tomatoes – essential for Rwanda’s agriculture-based economy (30% of GDP and 70% employment).
• synthetic pesticides used include Rocket (profenofos) and malathion – both highly toxic to bees. Rwandan farmers rely on imports despite locally grown pyrethrum being a natural pesticide option currently exported abroad.
• EU countries continue exporting banned pesticides to developing regions despite their harmful ecological effects; over 81,615 tonnes sold globally in 2022.
• A study shows food imported into the EU from Rwanda often contains traces of hazardous pesticides that are banned within Europe itself.

indian Opinion Analysis:
The plight of East African beekeepers due to pesticide misuse underscores global challenges concerning agricultural practices and sustainability.For India – a significant agricultural nation reliant on pollination services – such developments raise red flags regarding potential impacts on ecosystems supporting food security. This scenario advocates scrutiny into India’s reliance on synthetic pesticides and also fostering innovation around bio-pesticides or natural alternatives like pyrethrum-based solutions already shown viable elsewhere but underutilized domestically. Additionally, lessons surrounding banned exports highlight ethical alignment between trade policies and environmental stewardship – an area India could champion internationally while safeguarding its biodiversity.

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