Hello. It’s Yan Yong here, blogger of “Arrest the pest.” I’m a final year environmental studies student at the National University of Singapore. I will be maintaining this blog as a part of a level 4000 geography module on environmental pollution.
Why am I interested in agrochemicals?
The main reason behind my interest in the topic is my incredible internship experience with a crop protection company during my time as a second and third-year student. During my time with the company, I came to realise how it is a massive industry that is here to stay. Even with so many concerns about how these chemicals pollute the environment, they still play a major role in sustaining livelihoods and feeding the global population.
I’m interested to find out how the industry and its stakeholders interact and collaborate to address environmental and public health concerns around agrochemicals. Are agrochemical companies as responsible and sustainable as they claim to be? What are the conversations we need to have to ensure the safe use of agrochemicals under a changing climate?
Why am I introducing myself?
I believe that it is important for readers to know about the authors. The background and experiences of each author influence his/her/their way of interpreting different issues, as well as their biases. Therefore, by declaring my positionality, I hope to be reflexive in my work and help readers be more critical of my views.
What do I hope to achieve with this blog?
I aim to break down current affairs and the latest research in the agrochemical industry to make them easy to understand. (Disclaimer: while I seek to offer critical insights in my blog posts, I will not be disclosing details regarding my internship and previous employer)
That’s all for now. Please drop me a comment if there are topics if wish for me to address.