| dc.description.abstract | The aim of this study was to find out the types of
organochlorine (OC) pesticides used in the Gezira irrigation
scheme of the Sudan as well as the methods of their
application and determine the levels of OC pesticide residues
in locally produced food items. A questionnaire was
administered on 160 farmers randomly selected and 130 samples
of locally produced foodstuffs or products, i.e., tomato,
okra~ sorghum and cottonseed oil were collected. These
foodstuffs were chemically analyzed using Gas Liquid
Chromatography (G.L.C.) to determine the levels and types of
OC pesticide residues.
The findings of this study indicate that a combination
of cotton, wheat and sorghum was the most frequent
crop-pattern adopted by the farmers. This reflects the
importance of cotton as the main cash crop and wheat and
sorghum as the main staple foods. Pesticides were used by 97%
of the interviewed farmers, but only 24% of them received
advice on the proper methods of application. This is because
the Sudan cezi r.a Board (S.G.B.) is the main supplier of
pesticides, 84% of the respondents quoted it as the source of
the pesticides, and the major applicant. Only 18% of the
users apply the pesticides by themselves and 12% knew the
types of pesticide applied.
xiv
The major OC pesticide residues detected in the selected
samples were Dichlorodiphenyl Trichloroethane (DOT),
Hexachloro Hexane (HCH), Hexachloro Benzene (HCB), Aldrin,
Dieldrin, Endrin and Heptachlor. All these residues were
found in 92% of the samples analyzed. However, the residues
were found in samples of tomato, okra, sorghum and cotonseed
oil at the rates of 87%, 97%, 87.5% and 100% respectively.
This study concludes that the methods of pesticide
application used by the farmers compared to the proper
methods of application were not correct. When the OC
pes~icide residues compared to the maximum residue limits
(MRL), only Dieldrin in tomato and Heptachlor in both okra
and cottonseed oils were present in levels above the maximum
allowed limits by FAO/WHO. The incorrect methods of
application and the presence of OC residues is an indication
of poor agricultural practices, moreover OCs are banned
chemicals in agricultural sector and yet they are still being
used. | en |
