An import ant reason for the increase in pesticide use in Asian countries has been the shift of farmers from traditional subsistence farming towards market-oriented intensive-crop farming. This increase has been driven by an increasing demand for vegetables and other crops, caused by urbanisation and economic development (Midmore and Janssen 2003). Capable of growing two or three crops a year, these countries are becoming the future “breadbaskets” for the world, exporting agricultural produce to regions having colder climates and shorter growing seasons (Ecobichon 2001). Given the increased rate of cropping,
environmental side-effects of pesticide use are likely to be more
severe in developing countries than in the developed world, even