Pest control

• Farmers use pesticides to protect plants against weeds, diseases and insects.
• Pesticides also accumulate in the environment and kill the pests natural predators
• As a result of reduced predator numbers, pest populations increase and farmers are forced to use larger quantities of pesticides
• Prolonged use of pesticides can have a negative effect on soil fertility, as if destroys microorganisms in the soil and this decreases decomposition.
• Harvest yields may be reduced due to the decrease in soil fertility
• Pesticides that infiltrate groundwater, rivers and other water sources damage the environment
• The use of natural pesticides would be a more environmentally-friendly approach.