Feasibility Study of a National Web-Based GIS Application to Assess the Risk of Pesticide Drift in the U.S.

Faye Anderson,Najla N J Al-Thani

doi:10.4236/gep.2015.37003

Abstract

Agricultural pollution is a major issue in the United States (U.S.) and the world. Biotic and abiotic farming byproducts adversely affect the ecosystem and human health. While pesticides and fertilizers are the primary sources of agricultural pollution, organic agriculture can help remediate the negative effects on humans and the ecosystem. However, many factors like chemical drift can limit this advantage. This paper presents a feasibility study of a web-based (Geografic Information System) GIS application which can model and predict the areas affected by agricultural chemicals drift. Other applications exist with limited assumptions that make their outcomes far from reality. A root definition and a rich picture are developed as well as a Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Because of the huge geographical context, data requirements and analyses requirements are expected to be massive. Nonetheless, despite the expected challenges, the advantages of the proposed application outweigh the risks.

Highlights

The increasing demand for organic agriculture has been driven by the rising demand on healthier nutrition [1], increasing concern of effects of accumulated chemicals in conventional crops, decreased biodiversity in conventional farms [2] and the increase in world population [3]
Al-Thani conventional farming, it avoids the use of artificial substances such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which are the primary sources of agricultural pollution
While organic farming can offset the contamination posed by conventional farming by increasing nutrient uptake and soil nitrogen, carbon and water levels, over-use of organic matter in organic farming has contributed to high ground water contamination, which can be managed by certain practices like crop rotation, soil aeration and timing of organic fertilizer application [7]-[9]

Summary

Introduction

The increasing demand for organic agriculture has been driven by the rising demand on healthier nutrition [1], increasing concern of effects of accumulated chemicals in conventional crops, decreased biodiversity in conventional farms [2] and the increase in world population [3]. (2015) Feasibility Study of a National Web-Based GIS Application to Assess the Risk of Pesticide Drift in the U.S Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 3, 20-24. Al-Thani conventional farming, it avoids the use of artificial substances such as pesticides and chemical fertilizers, which are the primary sources of agricultural pollution. These two leach into and contaminate both surface water and groundwater, causing adverse health issues for plants, animals, humans and the environment [5] [6]. The severe drought of 2002 caused a loss of 34 million acres of cropland This was accompanied by an increase in percentage of certified organic acreage of the total U.S cropland (Figure 2) [12]. This article presents a feasibility study of developing a comprehensive web-based GIS application to assess the risk of chemical drift in the U.S

Root Definition and Rich Picture

Data Requirements and Analyses

Implementation Plan

Conclusion