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What Socio-Economic and Political Factors Lead to Global Pesticide Dependence? A Critical Review from a Social Science Perspective

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  • Zhanping Hu

    (School of Humanities and Social Sciences, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China)

Abstract

Dependence on chemical pesticides has become one of the most pressing challenges to global environmental sustainability and public health. Considerable regulatory efforts have been taken to mitigate pesticide dependence, which however has resulted in a prevalent ‘managerial failure’. Massive pesticide application has generated severe genetic resistance from pests, which has in turn further aggravated pesticide dependence and thus induced agrochemical industries to develop new pesticide varieties. This review proposes to look beyond the resistance-dependence nexus and presents a comprehensive discussion about global pesticide dependence in a social science perspective, i.e., revealing the socio-economic and political factors that reinforce pesticide dependence. These factors are classified into five intertwined themes: (1) agricultural regime, (2) social process of pesticide application, (3) economic analysis, (4) politics and governance, and (5) promotional failure of alternatives. It is found that pesticide dependence is not just a technological issue in the sphere of natural sciences, but more a human-made issue, with deep-seated socio-economic and political reasons. Addressing contemporary trap of global pesticide dependence entails a full acknowledgement and comprehension of the complex and intertwined factors. Furthermore, this review identifies two major explanatory approaches underlying the extant social science literature: a structuralist approach that stresses macro-level structures such as institutions, policies and paradigms, and an individualist approach that focuses on the decision-making of farmers at the micro level. This review recognizes the limitations of the two approaches and calls for transcending the duality. This study advocates a policy framework that emphasizes alignment and coordination from multi-dimensions, multi-actors and multi-scales. For future research, collaborations between natural and social scientists, and more integrated and interdisciplinary approaches should be strengthened.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhanping Hu, 2020. "What Socio-Economic and Political Factors Lead to Global Pesticide Dependence? A Critical Review from a Social Science Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-22, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:21:p:8119-:d:439487
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    Cited by:

    1. Meunier, Elliot & Smith, Pauline & Griessinger, Thibaud & Robert, Corinne, 2024. "Understanding changes in reducing pesticide use by farmers: Contribution of the behavioural sciences," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    2. Rui Zhou & Mingbo Ji & Shaoyang Zhao, 2024. "Does E-Commerce Participation among Farming Households Affect Farmland Abandonment? Evidence from a Large-Scale Survey in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-23, March.
    3. repec:hal:journl:hal-04487480 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Chiaverina, Pierre & Drogué, Sophie & Jacquet, Florence, 2024. "Do Farmers Participating in Short Food Supply Chains Use Less Pesticides? Evidence from France," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    5. Fatma Mhadhbi & Claude Napoléone, 2022. "Does Agricultural Intensification Enhance Rural Wellbeing? A Structural Model Assessment at the Sub-Communal Level: A Case Study in Tunisia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Héctor Ulises Bernardino-Hernández & Yael Gallardo-García & Gerardo Vargas-Valencia & Arturo Zapién-Martínez & Gabriel Sánchez-Cruz & Leobardo Reyes-Velasco & José Ángel Cueva-Villanueva & Ericel Hern, 2024. "Pesticide Exposure in the Cultivation of Carica papaya L. and Capsicum annuum L. in Rural Areas of Oaxaca, Mexico," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(8), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Xiuling Ding & Apurbo Sarkar & Lipeng Li & Hua Li & Qian Lu, 2022. "Effects of Market Incentives and Livelihood Dependence on Farmers’ Multi-Stage Pesticide Application Behavior—A Case Study of Four Provinces in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-19, August.

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