The French version of the Atlas des Pesticides was presented to the public on May 16. Justice Pesticides was present to take part in the round table “Other views on pesticides and agroecology “, and to share a point of view on justice and pesticides.

This Atlas is the fruit of cooperation between the Heinrich Böll Foundation, Friends of the Earth Europe, BUND and the Pesticide Action Network Europe, and its French version, enriched with several chapters, is published by the Paris office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation and La Fabrique Écologique. The Atlas contains facts, figures, graphs and maps on toxic chemicals in agriculture, aimed at fuelling debate and contributing to the development of alternative solutions.

Why do we use so many pesticides, and for how long? What are the impacts on health, and do they vary according to gender? What are the impacts on biodiversity, particularly on insects? Who holds the keys to the global market? What is Europe and France doing to reduce pesticide use? What alternatives to pesticides exist and are being developed around the world and across territories, in mainland France and in the French Overseas Territories, which are particularly affected by pesticide use?

It’s true that France is Europe’s leading producer of organic produce. While efforts are being made, they remain insufficient to meet the challenges of biodiversity protection, climate protection and food sovereignty, and given the weight of French agriculture, the EU’s leading agricultural power. In 2021, organic farming in France will still account for just 10.3% of the country’s utilised agricultural area (UAA) – well below that of many other EU countries.

Here’s the link to free access to the Atlas, and a link to other language versions.

Source : Foundation Henrich Böll