April 2017 – A field survey of interviews with hundreds of rural families across Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe indicates that although the use of organic alternatives to hazardous pesticides is gaining pace, the threats posed by the misuse of toxic chemicals persist.

The findings were presented at a subregional consultation meeting held by the Rotterdam Convention (RC) and FAO in Cabo Verde’s capital, Praia this March. Representatives from Angola, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe joined participants from the islands off the west coast of Africa to discuss further measures to reduce risks, improve the enforcement of existing legislation and continue with the implementation of the RC.

Since July 2016, RC technical experts have stepped up their work in these countries. The target of their programme is to increase social protection and limit environmental damage by extending the available information on alternatives to conventional pesticides. The preservation of natural resources stands at the very helm of FAO’s undertaking to support nations through policy advice, analysis and the provision of technical assistance.

“We know that the global population is growing rapidly, and with it the demands placed on agriculture. This is why the sustainable intensification of agriculture is so important. Working towards safer alternatives to hazardous pesticides is part and parcel of achieving this,” said FAO Programme Officer for the RC, Elisabetta Tagliati.

Building safer rural communities

In Cabo Verde, interviews with the heads of 100 rural families found that less than 30 percent of those consulted used protective clothing while coming into contact with pesticides. Moreover, islanders were not legally bound to possess licenses to handle pesticides and 96 percent of respondents said they had never been asked to show a license to buy the chemicals.

“The first line of defence is a healthy agro-ecosystem. Pesticides and chemicals should not threaten the welfare, health or lives of farmers and their families,” said FAO’s Country Representative in Cabo Verde, Rémi Nono Womdim.

Cabo Verde is widely seen as a success story among island nations for its adoption of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) methodology as fostered by FAO’s Farmer Field Schools (FFS). The schools involve a group-based learning process that has been utilised by a number of governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international agencies to promote IPM since it was developed some 30 years ago.

A high use of pesticides was also noted in Guinea-Bissau where over 80 percent of the 200 rural families surveyed said they did not use protective equipment while handling pesticides. Moreover, nearly 90 percent had no knowledge of the available alternatives.

Again, on the island of São Tomé, of the one hundred rural families approached as part of the study, almost 70 percent said they did not wear protective clothing while applying pesticides. Furthermore, some agricultural workers described feeling ill following exposure – a factor deemed especially concerning given the lack of adequate access to healthcare dedicated to intoxications and poisoning incidents.

Farmers on São Tomé however, said that they were using alternatives to pesticides in large part thanks to the island’s rich biodiversity. Manipueira – which is a liquid extract from cassava roots – was cited as being more efficient than chemical farming methods for its possible multi-purpose use as an herbicide, fungicide, insecticide as well as a bio-fertiliser.

“Manipueira has many functions. It helps soils preserve their natural nutrient content, and, it can also be used as a fertiliser, an insecticide as well as helping to combat pests,” said one farmer.

Partnerships for progress

FAO is calling for urgent action to be taken to secure the future and food security of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) against the disproportionate effects of climate change. The Organization warns that those heavily dependent on climate-sensitive sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and agriculture bear the brunt of climate change and rising sea levels although they contribute the least to it.

Those Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP) that are also classed as SIDS, face a series of shared problematics spanning from increasing productivity in a sustainable way while diversifying agricultural production to enhance resilience in food and nutrition. Boosting communities’ capacities to use pesticides safely while encouraging the use of alternatives is key to protecting their livelihoods.

The evidence collected by the RC and its partners will be used to boost collaboration between Portuguese-speaking African countries to establish political and diplomatic consultations and ultimately to contribute towards strengthening Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs)

A drastic reduction in pesticide-use is essential as it generates social, environmental and economic benefits, while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In May, governments and stakeholders from all over the world will meet at the Conference of the Parties (COPs) in Geneva, Switzerland, to take decisions on chemicals and waste. Adapting farming methods to reduce exposure to toxic chemicals is a global challenge and will be top of the agenda.

Countries at Indonesia training workshop sets sights on increasing notifications of hazardous pesticides and chemicals

April 2017 – Representatives from countries across Asia met at a subregional workshop in the city of Surabaya in eastern Indonesia last month to share best practices on strengthening the management of hazardous chemicals.

Hosted by the Government of Indonesia, the Asia-Pacific Plant Protection Commission (APPPC) and the Rotterdam Convention (RC) Secretariat of FAO, at least 33 participants from nine countries attended the event, including several newly appointed Designated National Authorities (DNAs). DNAs are responsible for sharing information with the RC Secretariat and other participating countries, as well as partners such as those working in the trade and export industries.

“Each country came prepared with a country report, giving a clear picture of where they stand in terms of pesticide and chemicals management at a national level and presented specific ideas on the implementation of the RC,” said Yun Zhou, FAO Agricultural Officer for the Convention.

As a large exporting country, the representative for China explained how it met its obligations under the Convention; while Nepal and Lao PDR, two countries heavily reliant on imports, and considered vulnerable to pesticide exposure acknowledged the problematics they faced. Nepal said many of those dependent on agriculture viewed pesticides as a form of “medicine” for pest management and were therefore, not aware of the hazards they posed.

Attendees from China, Lao PDR, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam received practical training on the operational elements of the Convention including how to submit notifications of final regulatory action and reports on incidents caused by pesticide formulations.

A key challenge for countries is to balance the benefits and risks when taking national decisions on chemicals. The newly launched FAO Pesticide Registration Toolkit, which helps countries to make sound decisions on pesticides – in particular those lacking adequate infrastructure – was also introduced.

A country-driven approach

The common goals of the RC and the APPPC are to safeguard plant, human health and the environment while facilitating trade and protecting the sustainability of agriculture.

Agricultural growth in Asia has stagnated in recent years, with a serious decline in investment, and a depletion and degradation of natural resources in the face of continued population growth. Moreover, 60 percent of the world’s hungry live there. In order to address these issues, FAO’S Representative for Asia and the Pacific, Kundhavi Kadiresan recently called for a renewed focus on reaching the most marginalized people, the very poor and those living in remote areas.

FAO is collaborating closely with Indonesia to streamline ecosystem approaches into the nation’s agricultural practices. The Organization’s Regional Rice Initiative in Indonesia focuses on the importance of goods and services produced by rice ecosystems and promotes sustainable rice production practices to enhance resilience and increase efficiencies in order to improve food security and nutrition.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) centres on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. Fulfilling this target requires minimizing the natural resources and toxic materials used, and the waste and pollutants generated throughout the entire production and consumption process. Building partnerships between countries to manage chemicals safely is regarded as pivotal in achieving the 2030 Agenda. A follow-up project to monitor highly hazardous pesticides in the context of the RC and to identify sustainable alternatives based on the ecosystem approach will begin in Lao PDR later this year.