CAP rolls out garden pest control book
PETALING JAYA: In conjunction with Green Action Week, the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) has launched a guidebook on how to control pests in home gardens without using harmful pesticides.
Its president Mohideen Abdul Kader noted that many people started growing their own vegetables during the movement control order (MCO) period.
“CAP received many calls from the public requesting non-chemical-based solutions for pest management.
“We decided to publish this guidebook as part of our sharing community platform, which is the theme of the Green Action Week,” he said in a statement on the 20-page guidebook entitled Managing Pests in Home Garden.
Initiated by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, the Green Action Week was implemented in collaboration with Consumers International.
CAP’s guidebook provides basic information on common pests in gardens and the role of predatory insects in managing them.
“It also provides tips on simple pest control solutions and ways to attract beneficial insects to our gardens,” said Mohideen.
CAP has been pushing for the ban of highly hazardous pesticides to check exposure to toxins that have far-reaching implications on public health and the environment.
Last week, CAP submitted a memorandum (to the authorities) calling for a ban on glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides, which are widely used globally.
“Pesticides also kill beneficial insects that play a vital role as pollinators.
“Harming such beneficial insects poses a threat to food supply,” he said.
“What we need is food security, food safety and food accessibility,” he said.