The Colombian government has said it will continue to allow the use of the herbicide glyphosate for agricultural purposes, but will toughen regulations surrounding its application.

A Ministry of Agriculture statement said the Colombian Agricultural Society (SAC) and its affiliated unions had welcomed the government's decision that proper use and management of glyphosate did not produce negative effects on human health, water supply or environmental systems.

The pesticides malathion, diazinon, parathion and tetraclorvinfos are also understood to be included in the decision.

It was recently announced the country's Ministry of Health and the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA) were reviewing the use of the world's most commonly used herbicide, which in March was described as “probably carcinogenic” by a group of scientists affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Ministry of Agriculture said the government had now considered the arguments put forward by the private sector and the research centers which had released technical recommendations on the doses and application management of the chemicals.

The Ministry added it would work together with SAC to develop new regulations of good agricultural practices to guarantee proper agrochemical management.

Glyphosate was widely used in the country to combat the cultivation of illegal crops, but the government now plans to find other ways to eradicate these crops.

Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons

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