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Export agriculture, ecological disruption, and social inequity: Some effect of pesticides in Southern Honduras

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  • Douglas Murray

Abstract

Pesticides remain an integral part of development efforts to renew economic growth in Central America and lift the region out of a severe economic crisis. This paper analyzes the implications of the continued reliance on pesticides for heightening economic and ecological problems in the agrarian sector. Relying on a case study of export melon production in Choluteca, Honduras, the author argues that current development strategies, which rely heavily on pesticides, are generating ecological disruption that creates conditions biased against small producers. Lack of knowledge of the hazards inherent in the technology and the resulting emergence of pesticide resistant pests, crop losses, environmental contamination, and public health problems, pose serious obstacles to the survival of small-scale producers. Meanwhile transnational and other flexible, large scale operations often adapt to such conditions, and on occasion may even turn such problems to their benefit. The author concludes that economic growth may only be sustainable when questions of social equity and ecological viability are brought to the forefront of U.S. development strategies. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1991

Suggested Citation

  • Douglas Murray, 1991. "Export agriculture, ecological disruption, and social inequity: Some effect of pesticides in Southern Honduras," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 8(4), pages 19-29, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:agrhuv:v:8:y:1991:i:4:p:19-29
    DOI: 10.1007/BF01530651
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bulmer-Thomas,Victor, 1987. "The Political Economy of Central America since 1920," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521348393.
    2. Peter Rosset, 1991. "Sustainability, economies of scale, and social instability: Achilles heel of non-traditional export agriculture?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 8(4), pages 30-37, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ebata, Ayako & Velasco, Pamela & von Cramon-Taubadel, Stephan, 2015. "Distance to market and farm-gate prices of staple beans in rural Nicaragua," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 197540, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    2. Tamar Diana Wilson, 2023. "Hegemony, Quasi-Counterhegemony, and Counterhegemony in Pesticide Use in Latin America With Special Reference to Mexico," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 55(3), pages 373-389, September.
    3. Jason Donovan & Dietmar Stoian, 2023. "Value chain research and development: The quest for impact," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 41(5), September.
    4. Jana Schwarz & Erik Mathijs & Miet Maertens, 2015. "Changing Patterns of Global Agri-Food Trade and the Economic Efficiency of Virtual Water Flows," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-22, May.
    5. Princen, Thomas, 1997. "The shading and distancing of commerce: When internalization is not enough," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 235-253, March.
    6. Schwarz, Jana & Mathijs, Erik & Maertens, Miet, 2015. "Changing patterns of global agri-food trade and virtual water flows," Working Papers 200308, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Centre for Agricultural and Food Economics.
    7. Ebata, Ayako & Pacheco, Pamela Alejandra & Cramon-Taubadel, Stephan von, 2015. "Distance to market and farm-gate prices of staple beans in rural Nicaragua," 2015 Conference, August 9-14, 2015, Milan, Italy 211582, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Dale T. Manning & J. Edward Taylor & James E. Wilen, 2018. "General Equilibrium Tragedy of the Commons," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 69(1), pages 75-101, January.

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