Booming Zimbabwe Horticulture Industry Increases Workers'
Exposures to Pesticides
In the last two years, horticulture--including production of
flowers, vegetables, herbs and fruit--has been the fastest
growing sector in Zimbabwe's economy, leading to higher
levels of pesticide use and greater risks to workers in this
poorly regulated industry. Under state law, farmers must
protect laborers when they handle dangerous chemicals, but
because of lax enforcement, an increasing numbers of workers
suffer from pesticide poisonings.
The South African environmental magazine "New Ground" reports
that Zimbabwe's cut flower industry has expanded into a
multi-million dollar export business, involving more than 450
farms. In 1993, flower exports are expected to earn over US
$2.5 million, half of that from roses alone. Thirty five
varieties of flowers are currently grown in Zimbabwe, with
more than 550 hectares under flower production. The
industry's growth is partly due to World Bank mandated
"structural adjustment" programs, under which Zimbabwe (and
other African nations) invest heavily in export-oriented
industries and agriculture. Zimbabwe's government has
allocated significant amounts of foreign currency to promote
flower and other horticultural exports. Farmers report that
much of this money is used to import the pesticides,
fungicides and fertilizers used in the industry's capital-
intensive production.
Legally, workers in Zimbabwe are protected under the
'Hazardous Substances and Articles Act' of 1985, whereby
laborers handling dangerous chemical must have full
protective clothing (including overalls, gumboots, gloves,
masks and goggles) and receive printed information on the
substances they use. But the government rarely enforces
these provisions and many laborers work without gloves, in
threadbare overalls or in their own clothes. Although many
workers do not report pesticide-related illnesses for fear of
job loss or reprisals, two recently reported cases are
indicative of the larger problem, according to the New Ground
article.
In a farm near Harare last year, Leave Ndlovu, a 30 year old
pesticide mixer, suffered common pesticide-poisoning
symptoms. His eyes watered, he complained of dizziness,
nausea and confusion, and his speech became slurred and
difficult to follow. He was diagnosed with chronic pesticide
poisoning and was the first officially recognized victim of
the country's floriculture boom, according to Sammy Chaikosa,
health and safety officer of the General Agriculture and
Plantation Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ).
In another case, 24 year old Grey Chimosva, was working
without gloves, goggles or a mask when granules of Temik
(aldicarb), a WHO class 1a (extremely toxic) pesticide, got
into his eyes. "My sight went black and my eyes ran with
water. The boss told me to tell the doctor that I was in
full combat gear, and that the wind blew dust into my eyes.
Now (the boss) says that if I don't work, there is no job.
But my eyes still hurt and I cannot see anything unless it is
near to me."
Zimbabwe's Horticulture Promotion Council claims that access
to dangerous chemicals is strictly controlled and that
workers handling these chemicals are given full instructions
on their dangers. But many farms are never inspected by
government officials and few farmers know the provisions of
the 1985 law. GAPWUZ expects more cases of chronic and acute
poisonings as the expanding horticulture industry exposes
more workers to pesticide risks. The union hopes to improve
enforcement of workplace safety regulations by training
hundreds of shopfloor health and safety cadres.
Source: Richard Saunders, "Poisoned Roses--Deadly Sting for
Flower Workers", New Ground (South Africa), Winter 1993, No.
12, p. 18-19.
Contact: New Ground Magazine, PO Box 322, Newtown, 2113 South
Africa. Fax: 11-836-0188
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