Agrochemical Implications for Cereal Production, Processing, Public Health, and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

The use of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers has dire effects on the environmental sustainability, public health, and food security of sub-Saharan Africa. Although these agrochemicals have improved yields and pest control during harvest seasons, their rampant use has led to soil erosion, biodiversity loss, food contamination through agrochemical remnants, and water pollution. The rural population and consumers, particularly children and expectant mothers, are most at risk from these socioeconomic threats, which, coupled with chronic exposure, cause numerous long-term health issues, such as respiratory problems, neurological damage, endocrine disruption, alterations, and different forms of cancer. Moreover, sustaining long-term food security is impossible because of the perpetual misuse of agrochemicals that deteriorate soil fertility, raise production costs, and induce pesticide resistance. The absence of appropriate legislation or farmer education further exacerbates the situation. Public health outcomes can improve significantly if agrochemical dependency is lessened through training farmers in integrated pest management, organic farming, or other sustainable alternatives. This study specifically identifies the knowledge gap in the current understanding of the long-term, cumulative impact of agrochemical use on both the environment and public health, especially in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. It also proposes actionable solutions to bridge this gap through policy recommendations and farmer education programs. There is an immediate need for policies in agronomic governance to restrict the widespread use of agrochemicals, paired with requisite policy frameworks to monitor compliance toward actionable sustainable agriculture designed to support nutritional security for the region, which this study articulates.