ABSTRACT
Crop productivity and food security are the emerging issues in the world, and Pakistan is also facing these crises. Agriculture productivity can be enhanced and food security can be guaranteed by deploying various means including (1) use of comparatively more productive varieties demonstrating resistance to insects, weeds, and diseases; (2) increasing the area of agricultural land; (3) encouraging and promoting the use of pest and disease-resistant GMOs (genetically modified organisms); and (4) promoting the use of organic fertilizers, agrochemicals, improved soil, and water management practices and biological control strategies to enhance the yield of crops. Among agrochemicals, igure pesticides have contributed enormously to crop productivity by suppressing the intensity of pests, reducing the density of crop competitors, ameliorating the condition of the crop plants, and improving the efficiency of agronomic practices. This chapter focuses on the critical analysis of the use of pesticides as inputs in the enhancement of agricultural productivity and food security. In this chapter, forms and practices of pesticides, historical perspectives of pesticides, case studies of pesticides’ role in pest suppression and crop productivity, necessities and concerns of pesticides, challenges of pesticides, and the future of pesticides in Pakistan are discussed. We highlight and summarize policy points in this chapter, such as major issues associated with pesticides use and hands-on strategies addressing these issues; strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) supplementary to pesticides usage; and short-term, medium-term, long-term and medium-long term action-plan/way forward along with a discussion of the responsible and focal organizations.
