World Pest Day, also known as World Pest Awareness Day, is annually observed across the globe on 6th June to create awareness about the need for pest management and the role of pest management organisations in protecting public health.
The Day also highlights the big threats caused by small pests.
Background:
i.World Pest Day was initiated by the Chinese Pest Control Association, and co-sponsored by the Federation of Asian and Oceania Pest Managers’ Association (FAOPMA), the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), and the Confederation of European Pest Management Associations (CEPA).
ii.The ceremony of the first-ever World Pest Day was held at the Beijing Hotel on 6th June 2017
Harmful effects of Pests:
i.Common pests like cockroaches and mosquitoes spread asthma, allergy, and food contamination illnesses.
ii.Pests like caterpillars, grasshoppers and locusts, which eat the leave, seeds and fruits are a significant threat to agriculture.
iii.Termites that damage the wood structures are considered the most destructive household pests.
Pest Management:
i.Pesticides are any substance or mixture of substances made up of chemical or biological ingredients and intended to repel, destroy or control pests, or to regulate plant growth
ii.According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations(FAO), plant pests and diseases account for the reduction of between 20% and 40% of global crop yields per year.
iii.FAO promotes Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for sustainable crop protection. IPM was developed to steadily increase pesticide use resulting in pest control crises and increasing evidence and awareness of the full costs to human health and the environment of the intensive use of pesticides.
