Production of awareness materials for farmers on the harmful impacts of POPs and pesticides and promotion of alternatives.
Punjab is a key agricultural state in India. However, due to lack of awareness among farmers in the region, Punjab is becoming a toxic hotspot due to an increasing prevalence and over reliance on pesticides, including POPs. This report documents Kheti Virasat Mission's efforts to educate farmers in Punjab about the impacts of POPs pesticides on health and the environment. Due to lack of materials in the local Punjabi language, KVM produced awareness materials in the local Punjabi language and disseminated it widely among farmers and other stakeholders. The main aim was to promote safer alternatives to pesticides and encourage a shift toward these alternatives. The material produced includes fact sheets on harmful impacts of pesticides on the environment, humans and livestock; a booklet on biological and eco-friendly alternatives to pesticides and environmentally sustainable agriculture practices; and posters, leaflets, banners and badges in Punjabi and English.
Outputs:
Local language manual for farmers in Punjab regarding the harmful effects of pesticides and POPs on the environment and ways to incorporate safer alternatives
Manual disseminated widely in the region