Impact of pesticides used in agriculture: Their benefits and hazards

Pesticides are substances that protect plants or related products against all harmful organisms like insecticides, fungicides, and various diseases caused by insects but nowadays without having proper knowledge of the usage of pesticides, many harmful effects occur. From small doses, repeated throughout a time, effects such as birth defects, toxicity to a fetus, tumor, blood disorders, and nerve disorders occur. Although, various side effects occur from pesticides they are also important as they help farmers grow a large quantity of food on small landholdings by protecting crops from pests, diseases, and weeds as well as raising productivity. Protecting crops is the key to the agricultural economy and as we all know, in India, 70 percent of its rural households still depend primarily on agriculture for their livelihood, with 82 percent of farmers being small and marginal. Crop protection is a must and this shall be done by using the right quantity of pesticides. More than half of the world‟s crops would be lost to insects‟ diseases and weeds without crop protection. Under proper guidance from Agricultural experts, farmers‟ income can be doubled and can reduce the risk of adverse effects.