Paper Title
A Review of Pesticide Use in EU and African Countries and Associated Polices

Abstract
In many African and EU countries, the misuse of pesticides is questioned with the awareness of their negative effects on ecosystems and human health. Pesticides are chemicals that are used for control of insect pests and diseases of cultivated crops. Though pesticides are helpful to farmers in protecting their crops and increasing yields, they are also hazardous to health and environment. The health concerns associated with exposure to pesticides include increased risk of cancer (e.g. non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, childhood leukemia, and breast cancer), acute toxicity (creating the risk of pesticide poisoning), neurological impairment (e.g. Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease), developmental effects (e.g. autism), reproductive effects (e.g. sperm abnormalities, birth defects), organ damage, and interference with the human hormone system. There is a critical information gap regarding pesticide use which highlights the need for additional investigation and resources for monitoring, enforcement, and other interventions, to improve food safety and reduce pesticide exposures. This study explores pesticide use in EU and African countries. Secondary data for EU countries and African countries were collected from data bases and publications to analyse any difference in pesticide use (kg/ha) between the countries and focuses on drivers affecting pesticide use in these between the two continents. Keywords - Pesticides, Agriculture, health, comparative study, Policy, Food Safety.