Pengaruh efek ganda penggunaan pestisida dalam aktivitas pertanian

Abstract

Agriculture is the utilisation of natural resources by humans to provide food, industrial raw materials, or energy sources. This agricultural activity is usually carried out by people who live in rural areas where most of the land can be used for agriculture. But nowadays, it is very difficult for farmers to avoid the help of pesticides in their agricultural activities. Farmers use pesticides to destroy and control pests such as, moths, insects, fungi, and other bacteria on plants. The use of pesticides dates back to 2000 BC in Sumeria where chemicals such as sulphur were used. Along with its development, pesticides are divided into two categories namely bio-pesticides and chemical pesticides. Bio-pesticides are made from organic materials such as plants, vegetables, fruits, and minerals. While chemical pesticides are made from chemicals such as organophosphates and carbamates. In use, pesticides have a double effect that contradicts each other. On the one hand, pesticides provide significant benefits to agricultural practices such as increasing crop yields by controlling pests and plant diseases. On the other hand, pesticides cause environmental pollution, produce residues, increase pest infestation, death of enemy pest organisms, and others.