Pesticide use is a significant global issue today because almost three million tons of pesticides are currently used worldwide, and wherever there is farming, there is pesticide use. (Fairley, 2001) Pesticides can include the following varieties: bactericides, baits, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, lures, rodenticides, and repellents. All of the above pesticides are any substances or mixtures of substances used to destroy or alter the life cycle of any pest. (Encarta, 1996 ed.) They work by physically, chemically, or biologically interfering with a pest's metabolism or normal behaviour. Although some agricultural experts oppose implementation of alternative methods of pest control because food production will greatly decrease, alternative methods of controlling pests should be implemented because food production will be maintained, drinking water safety will improve, and overall human and animal health will see a positive outcome. .
Of course, though, some agricultural experts oppose implementation of alternative methods of pest control because food production will sharply decrease. Some researchers feel that the risks of eliminating pesticides are much greater than the risks of pesticide exposure. Banning or restricting pesticides would hurt the poor far greater and would severely raise prices on fruits and vegetables. As research shows, some agricultural experts oppose implementation of alternative methods of pest control because food production will sharply decrease. .
However, as studies reveal, alternative methods of controlling pests should be implemented because food production will be maintained. Many believe that world hunger is not caused by food shortages. In fact, the world today produces more food than ever before. Instead, people are hungry because they are too poor to buy the food available, not because there is not enough. Big corporations want to maintain pesticide use strictly because pesticides brought the agrochemical business thirty-one billion dollars in 2001.
