The use of pesticides in Bangladesh has dramatically increased to threefold in last decade and its annual import cost was 90 million U.S. dollars in 2010. Almost 80% of the total pesticide use is made-up of insecticides and while the majority of insecticides use is associated with rice cultivation, their use in vegetable cultivation also rising. A pesticide use survey by the World Bank in Bangladesh found that majority of the farmers used more pesticides than was required to protect their crops, and the intensity of insecticides use in vegetables cultivation is higher than the other countries. However, the residual effects of the indiscriminate use of harmful pesticides on human health and environment in Bangladesh were ignored in the past but now become a major constraint for the sustainable agricultural development. To study the environmental fates and related risks of major pesticides used in Bangladesh, this PhD projects is designed with following objectives:
1. Assessment of stakeholders’ attitude towards the use of pesticides and related risk for the environment and human health.
2. Assessment of the insecticide residues in the soil-water-plant system resulting from past and current applications under extensive to intensive agricultural land use.
3. Study the environmental fate of two mainly used insecticides in the soil-water-plant system under controlled conditions.
4. Study the soil erosion related transport of two currently used insecticides and assessment of the offsite effects.
5. Risk assessment of insecticides under different scenarios in the environment.
6. Elaboration of sustainable management strategies in local language.