Commercial agriculture and agrochemicals in Almolonga, Guatemala

Large amounts of synthetic pesticides are used in Guatemala to increase the production of nontraditional crops. Almolonga, a township in the western h ighlands, produces vegetables for markets in Mexico and Central America. Al molonguenos make intensive use of limited cultivable land and abundant wate r resources, as well as sizable amounts of synthetic pesticides. Among Almo longuenos, congenital malformations, cancer, anemia, and respiratory infect ions await substantiated links to exposure to pesticides. The prevalence of infectious and parasitic diseases and nutritional deficiencies-the dominan t health concerns-may be heightened by excessive use of pesticides. Public- health initiatives involve the rational use of pesticides or their eliminat ion.