'The U.S. and WHO encourage African countries to use DDT to fight the spread of malaria, but some Ugandans are protesting. The pesticide DDT, long banned in the United States, has made something of a comeback in Africa. DDT can be an effective weapon against malaria. The U.S. government, and the World Health Organization are encouraging African countries to use the insecticide, and say it is safe when handled properly. But in the East African nation of Uganda, DDT has provoked a fierce political battle. And the experience has taught a hard lesson: effective malaria control involves more than just fighting mosquitos.'Read the rest of the story here on Public Radio International. It's interesting and maybe not what you expect.
Alex Fokkens is a Dutch organic cotton buyer. He's worried the spraying would mean he'd no longer be able to sell the cotton to his European customers, "If they find out there are any traces of DDT, it would be sent back, and it would be a very big claim on us."
So proponents of organic agriculture mounted a vocal campaign to thwart the government's DDT plan.
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