A Historical Review of the Use of Pesticides in Colombian Agriculture

The growing production and use of multiple types of pesticides in the agri-food sector has caused strong concern on the part of many organizations worldwide, which question the degree of safety and quality of the products being supplied to the population. Colombia, a geographically privi-leged country with extensive areas of agricultural use, is not apathetic to this situation. Therefore, this review article aims to give a citrus and updated vision of the use of pesticides worldwide and subsequently in the Colombian agricultural sector. As a result, a sector that is currently growing and contributing to the national economy was identified. However, with a strong tendency to use pesticides to maximize production yields and minimize associated costs. Currently, many pesti-cide residues are identified in transitional and high value crops, such as vegetables and fruits. This causes chronic and/or acute intoxication scenarios in populations that meet these substances. Finally, academia and the public sector seek to update knowledge that promotes the regulation and management of this type of substances, promoting the transformation of the sector towards organic and regenerative agri-food models that prohibit the implementation of pesticides for pest and disease control.