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Whereas many Ugandans have embraced the consumption of fruits and vegetables for a healthy lifestyle, the latest study has revealed dangerous chemicals in them.

According to Dr Charles Ssemugabo from Makerere University School of Public Health, other stakeholders along the supply chain such as those spraying pesticides on the fruits and vegetables to increase their shelf life and marketability attributed high concentrations of pesticides in fruits and vegetables to farmers’ pesticide application practices that are outside those recommended and practices.

The study revealed that farmers, market vendors, and consumers often misinterpret the role of pesticides in fruit and vegetable production.

On average each household consumes fruits and vegetables daily. 

Uganda being an agricultural-based economy that is located in the tropics, fruits and vegetable supplies often meet their demand. 

However, fruit and vegetable farmers rely heavily on pesticides to control pests and diseases to increase the quality of their yields.

Ssemugabo said the concentration of pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables has the potential to harm consumers’ health, especially children.

“Although concentration of some chemical in the pesticide residues was not high beyond the threshold recommended by the World Health Organization, he found some whose concentrations were high beyond the recommended thresholds,” he said.

Ssemugabo said majority of the chemicals detected belonged to the class of organophosphates, carbamates, pyrethroids, and neonicotinoids.

He measured the concentration of pesticide residues in commonly consumed fruits and vegetables, how much of such fruits and vegetables residents in Kampala and surrounding districts consumed, and estimated quantities of pesticide residues residents in Kampala and surrounding districts consumed as a consequence.

Ssemugabo also found residues for chemicals such as monocrotophos that were banned for use in the country. According to the study, children were subject to the highest level of health risk.

The study which was supervised by Prof David Guwatudde and Prof John Ssempebwa highlighted that although consumers applied mitigation measures like washing, peeling, and cooking or their combination, some did not apply them appropriately.

The study called for there is an urgent need for farmers and other stakeholders in the supply chain to comply with guidelines on the appropriate use of pesticides, including mixing concentrations, and not using pesticides on harvested fruits and vegetables.

This calls for concerted sensitization of the farmers and other stakeholders in the supply chain. There is also a need to strengthen the regulatory framework to guide proper use of pesticides.

During a press conference to mark World Food Day on Monday, the chairperson Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers’ Forum Hakim Baliraine said the handling of chemicals in farming is not regulated very well and added that there is a need to regulate chemicals and that people should embrace agroecology production. Agroecology is sustainable farming that works with nature.

“There are guidelines on which to follow when the chemicals should be used. The extension workers do not have the time to train a farmer on how the chemicals should be used. They have left it to Agro-input dealers yet many of them are ignorant they just sell to get profits, they don’t have the knowledge on how the farmers should use the chemicals,” he said

Agro-input dealers are sellers of agricultural inputs that include seeds, fertilizer, crop protection chemicals, farm equipment and machines, veterinary products, and animal feeds.

He said that chemicals that are used in farming have become hazardous.