Sanaa: The Agriculture Sector in Dhamar Governorate carried out on Thursday a sudden inspection campaign on shops selling and distributing agricultural pesticides and fertilizers in several villages of Mif'ah 'Anas District. Dr. Adel Omar, Director of the Agriculture Sector in the governorate, explained that the campaign targeted the villages of Warqa and Al-'Allanah in Al-Atla subdistrict, and Al-Hasoul and Hisn Qadeed in Al-Jarsha subdistrict. This comes as part of regulatory efforts to protect the agricultural sector, safeguard the environment and public health.
According to Yemen News Agency, the ongoing and sudden campaigns carried out by the Agriculture Sector aim to ensure the safe handling and use of pesticides, prevent the use of smuggled or expired pesticides, and mitigate the risks they pose to soil, the environment, human and animal health. Dr. Omar added that the campaign team, which included the Deputy Director of the Agriculture Sector, directors of the district's agricultural branch, the Plant Protection Department, and a judicial enforcement officer, succeeded in seizing quantities of hazardous, banned, and expired pesticides.
Engineer Hafez Al-Junaid, Deputy Director of the Agriculture Sector, confirmed that the campaign targeted shops selling and distributing pesticides and agricultural fertilizers to ensure compliance with health and legal standards. This effort is part of ongoing initiatives to regulate the sale and use of plant protection pesticides and reduce the health and environmental risks arising from their misuse. He pointed out that these efforts help reinforce adherence to the law regulating the trade of plant protection pesticides, ensuring their proper use according to approved standards, which protects the agricultural environment and promotes sustainable production.
Meanwhile, Engineer 'Ateeq Al-Abrat, Director of the Plant Protection Department, stated that during the field visits, the team conducted awareness activities on the dangers of indiscriminate pesticide use and its negative impacts on soil, the environment, and public health. He emphasized that the rising incidence of cancer requires serious measures to limit excessive pesticide use and to respect the safety period before consuming vegetables, fruits, or qat, urging farmers to be mindful of pesticide risks and to follow technical guidelines.