Akyawkrom (Ash), Mar.16, GNA-Mr Kwesi Anamoah, Director of Training of Agricultural Materials (AGRIMAT) in Accra, has said that pesticides are hazardous and poisonous and that precautionary measures needed to be taken in handling them.

He has therefore, appealed to farmers, inputs dealers and other users of such pesticides to store them well and avoid the dangers of exposing them to food, rivers and human beings which may cause deaths. Mr. Anamoah made the appeal at the opening of a four-day technical training workshop on the correct use of pesticides jointly organised by the CropLife Africa/Middle East, International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC) and Agro-Chemical Association of Ghana (AAG) for 60 participants selected all over the country at Akyawkrom in the Ejisu-Juabeng District on Tuesday.

The workshop being attended by the members of the Ghana Agro-Inputs Dealers Association (GAIDA) aimed at equipping them with the techniques, skills and knowledge in handling pesticides.

He noted that spilling pesticides onto the body could cause health hazards and on the eyes it can even cause blindness, infections and other complications.

The Director therefore, stressed the need for farmers, inputs dealers and other pesticides users to wear protective clothing, Wellington boots, eye-goggles and respirators when they deal with such products.

Mr Ben Appiah-Kubi, businessman and promoter of Wiennco, a manufacturer of fertilizers said they could get to the body through the scalp, ears, eyes, nose, anus and the scrotum.

He asked participants to ensure that their products are stored out of human and animal reach to avoid causing deaths after exposure. Mr Appiah-Kubi advised them to ensure that the correct instructions and directives of the use of pesticides are imparted to their clients to avoid the misuse of the products.

Mr William Nuamah, an agronomist with the Reiss and Co. Ghana Limited in Accra also stressed the need for input dealers to study and analyse pesticides thoroughly to enable them to identify the good and bad products within the system.

He urged them to ensure that the label on such products are well read to assist them know the active ingredients of the products, their manufacturing and expiry dates and how to curb problems associated with the misuse of the products.