An agrochemical or agrichemical, a contraction of agricultural chemical, is a chemical product used in industrial agriculture. Agrichemical typically refers to biocides (pesticides including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and nematicides) alongside synthetic fertilizers. It may also include hormones and other chemical growth agents.[1][2] Though the application of mineral fertilizers and pesticidal chemicals has a long history, the majority of agricultural chemicals were developed from the 19th century, and their use were expanded significantly during the Green Revolution and the late 20th century.[3] Agriculture that uses these chemicals is frequently called conventional agriculture.[4]
Agrochemicals are counted among speciality chemicals. Most agrochemicals are products of the petrochemical industry, where chemicals are derivitatives of fossil fuels.[5] The production and use of agrochemicals contribute substantially to climate change, both through direct emissions during production, and through indirect emissions created from soil ecology problems created by the chemicals.[5]
Agrochemicals, especially when improperly used or released in local environments, have led to a number of public health and environmental issues.[3] Agrochemicals and their production can be significant environmental pollution.[3] Agrochemicals are responsible for significant damage to waterways through runoff, and inproperly stored agrochemicals and agrochemical wastes are responsible for spills, especially during extreme weather events.[6][3] Following the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, increased global attention has been paid to these ecological impacts of certain classes of chemicals, both in terms of effects on ecosystems and biodiversity loss. Some farmers choose not to use agrochemicals, with sustainable agriculture approaches such as organic farming or agroecology, avoiding use of pesticides and industrial chemicals, in favor of naturally occurring chemicals.[7]
Many agrochemicals are toxic, and agrichemicals in bulk storage may pose significant environmental and/or health risks, particularly in the event of accidental spills. In many countries, use of agrichemicals is highly regulated. Government-issued permits for purchase and use of approved agrichemicals may be required. Significant penalties can result from misuse, including improper storage resulting in spillage. On farms, proper storage facilities and labeling, emergency clean-up equipment and procedures, and safety equipment and procedures for handling, application and disposal are often subject to mandatory standards and regulations. Usually, the regulations are carried out through the registration process.
For instance, bovine somatotropin, though widely used in the United States, is not approved in Canada and some other jurisdictions as there are concerns for the health of cows using it.
A farmworker wearing protective equipment pouring a concentrated pesticide into a sprayer tank with water.
Drainage of fertilizers and pesticides into a stream
Pesticides being sprayed onto a recently plowed field by tractor. Aerial spraying is a main source of pesticide drift and application on loose topsoil increases the chance of runoff into waterways.
The negative effects of pesticides are not just in the area of application. Runoff and pesticide drift can carry pesticides into distant aquatic environments or other fields, grazing areas, human settlements and undeveloped areas. Other problems emerge from poor production, transport, storage and disposal practices.[10] Over time, repeat application of pesticides increases pest resistance, while its effects on other species can facilitate the pest's resurgence.[11] Alternatives to heavy use of pesticides, such as integrated pest management, and sustainable agriculture techniques such as polyculture mitigate these consequences, without the harmful toxic chemical application.
Environmental modelling indicates that globally over 60% of global agricultural land (~24.5 million km²) is "at risk of pesticide pollution by more than one active ingredient", and that over 30% is at "high risk" of which a third are in high-biodiversity regions.[12][13] Each pesticide or pesticide class comes with a specific set of environmental concerns. Such undesirable effects have led many pesticides to be banned, while regulations have limited and/or reduced the use of others. The global spread of pesticide use, including the use of older/obsolete pesticides that have been banned in some jurisdictions, has increased overall.[14][15]
History
Sumerians from 4500 years ago have said to use insecticides in the form of sulfur compounds. Additionally, the Chinese from about 3200 years ago used mercury and arsenic compounds to control the body lice.[16]
Agrochemicals were introduced to protect crops from pests and enhance crop yields. The most common agrochemicals include pesticides and fertilizers.[17] Chemical fertilizers in the 1960s were responsible for the beginning of the "Green Revolution", where using the same surface of land using intensive irrigation and mineral fertilizers such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium has greatly increased food production.[18] Throughout the 1970s through 1980s, pesticide research continued into producing more selective agrochemicals.[16] Due to the adaptation of pests to these chemicals, more and new agrochemicals were being used, causing side effects in the environment.
Companies
Syngenta was the Chinese owned worldwide leader in agrochemical sales in 2013 at approximately US$10.9 billion, followed by Bayer CropScience, BASF, Dow AgroSciences, Monsanto, and then DuPont with about $3.6 billion.[19] It is still in the worldwide leading position based on sales of year 2019. Based on a statistics by statistica, In 2019, the agrochemical market worldwide was worth approximately $234.2 billion. This is expected to increase to more than $300 billion in 2025.[20]
^Tashkent (1998), Part 75. Conditions and provisions for developing a national strategy for biodiversity conservationArchived 13 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Biodiversity Conservation National Strategy and Action Plan of Republic of Uzbekistan. Prepared by the National Biodiversity Strategy Project Steering Committee with the Financial Assistance of The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and Technical Assistance of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Retrieved on 17 September 2007.
