Jason L. McKenzie and Simone E. Williams, Pesticide Research Laboratory, Chemistry Department, UWI, Mona. 
The massive increase in global food production is credited to the increase in the use of pesticides.
PESTICIDES ARE used in agriculture to control weeds, insects, weevils, fungi, ticks and many other pests that pose a threat to crop and animal production.
The use of modern pesticides first started in 1867 when an arsenic based compound, Paris green, was used as an insecticide to control the Colorado potato beetle. Non-synthetic pesticides of this type were not very effective and did not find widespread applications. They were soon replaced by the more modern synthetic pesticides. Before the advent of synthetic pesticides, farming worldwide was characterised by low capital input, massive labour requirements, mixed farming and relatively low and unpredictable yields. These were factors that resulted from restrictions in climatic, soil and ecological conditions of which infestation of pests was of high significance.
The large-scale development of synthetic pesticides began during the World War II era with the introduction of the organochlorine pesticides of which DDT is an example. Synthetic pesticides were successful mainly because of their effectiveness against pests. Farmers were impressed with the ease of use, the increase in crop yield, the decrease in the number and types of pests, the decrease in labour costs and occurrences of failed crops and the accompanying increase in profitability. Industries thrived and crop production increased remarkably. In fact, the massive increase in global food production is credited to the increase in the use of synthetic pesticides. Policies for pesticide regulations were also introduced.
However, today more pesticides are used in more countries than ever before - over US$26 billion worth. What is driving this market for pesticides?
