Ana Merlo Reyes, PhD student and 2021 Lincoln Brower Award winner, along with Isabel Ramírez from the MBF board and two other researchers from the IRD France (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement -French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development), just published the article “Risk assessment of pesticides used in the eastern Avocado Belt of Michoacan, Mexico: A survey and water monitoring approach” in the Science of the Total Environment journal (free access until March 16, 2024). The study used a holistic approach for assessing the potential risks posed by pesticides for human health and the environment in the eastern region of Michoacán, where extensive agricultural lands, especially corn and avocado fields, surround the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Using interviews with campesinos to identify the frequency and application of pesticides, and water sample analyses, the study assessed environmental and human health risks from pesticide use. The research unveiled novel insights on agricultural practices for the avocado, and calls for the harmonization of crop protection with environmental responsibility to safeguard the health of the people involved and the surrounding ecosystems.
