Phytosanitary products: positive, negative aspects, opportunities and challenges

SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in different areas, in activities. Phytosanitary products are agricultural inputs that protect plants against pests (insects, disease-causing agents and weeds), helping them to express their productive potential.

It is estimated that pests still cause at least 40% damage to production, despite all the management measures used. Hence the need to continue developing and improving control alternatives. It is also estimated that if phytosanitary products are not used, plant production will be reduced by half.

However, the image and perception of these products in society, which is increasingly urban and has no links to agricultural production, is not the best, even though this is a tool used by the majority of rural producers. Efficient communication is necessary to promote trust among food consumers, showing that there is a lot of science and technology supporting the products that are used by farmers.

Positive points: the phytosanitary products used are registered, that is, after around ten years of development by manufacturers they are analyzed from the agronomic (MAPA), toxicological (ANVISA) and environmental (IBAMA) points of view. These are highly studied and safe products. And, they should only be sold to people with an agronomic prescription and handled by qualified professionals.

Negative points: communication between the plant defense sector and society needs to improve. The views of experts (teachers, researchers, inspection professionals, production, etc.) must prevail, as this is a technical and complex topic. There is also a need to pay attention to the correct and safe use of phytosanitary products, especially in relation to the dose, withdrawal period and number of applications. Still, foods produced in Brazil are healthy, meeting national and international requirements.

Opportunities: it is essential that Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is always the goal. All control measures (legislative, genetic, cultural, physical, mechanical, biological and chemical) must be developed and used.

It is essential to develop and register products, both chemical and biological, that are efficient and have adequate toxicological and environmental characteristics. As well as improving the application of these products, with adequate equipment, properly regulated and calibrated and in satisfactory climatic conditions.

Challenges: the main challenge is to show society that it is possible to produce healthy food using phytosanitary products. Another point is the modernization of legislation; in 30 years there will be a need to incorporate risk analysis, greater harmonization between the registering bodies (MAPA, ANVISA and IBAMA), streamlining the registration process, prioritizing products with new action mechanisms, already being used in countries competing with Brazil.

These products are essential for tackling one of the biggest current problems: the emergence of pests resistant to phytosanitary products. Another challenge is the improvement of ATER (Technical Assistance and Rural Extension) to keep BPAs (Good Agricultural Practices) always present in operations. Anyway, phytosanitary products are good and extremely necessary, but they need to be applied correctly.

By José Otavio Menten, President of the Sustainable Agro Scientific Council (CCAS), Agronomist, Master and Doctor in Agronomy, Post-Doctorate in Pest Management and Biotechnology and Associate Professor at ESALQ/USP