The GAP Effect on Pesticide Use by Asparagus Farmers in Damnoen Saduak, Thailand

抄録

This study was conducted to quantitatively evaluate the pesticide use by asparagus farmers implementing the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standard in Damnoen Saduak, a district of Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. We obtained records from 12 asparagus cultivating plots under the GAP program and compared them with another 12 which were not implementing the standard. We assessed the toxicity classification of the pesticides used, the intensity of their use (in terms of the amount of active ingredients used, expenditure and potential environmental impact exerted) and their relationship with yield, and examined the economic rewards of being GAP certified. The results show that the GAP program was not achieving its goal of reducing the intensity of pesticide use. We argue that greater priority should be given to monitoring and control at the farm level.