.651 The Service promotes effective plant protection, which is safe to human health and the environment, so as to avoid or reduce crop losses caused by plant pests, during growth, in transit and in storage. It aims at reducing emergency situations caused by transboundary pests (particularly through EMPRES).

.652 Organizational Structure

• Office of Chief
• Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention
• Pesticides Management Group
• Integrated Pest Management Group
• Locusts, Other Migratory Pests and Emergency Operations Group

.653 Activities

• Provides the Secretariat to the International Plant Protection Convention, which undertakes to:
  • coordinate the identification, preparation and endorsement of international standards for phytosanitary measures and assist FAO Members in their implementation;
  • prepare guidelines on the safe exchange of plant germplasm;
  • act as a medium for information exchange on plant quarantine regulations and on the distribution of pests of quarantine significance;
  • assist FAO Members to establish regional plant protection organizations and help these organizations to coordinate their activities;
  • assist FAO Members in establishing plant protection, including plant quarantine programmes, infrastructures and institutional capacities.
• Assists FAO Members to improve pesticide management through:
  • promoting and monitoring of the provisions of the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides;
  • jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), implementing the procedure for formally obtaining and disseminating the decisions of importing countries concerning future imports of banned or severely restricted pesticides (PIC procedures) and arranging for national training on PIC;
  • jointly with WHO, making recommendations for Maximum Pesticide Residue Levels and Acceptable Daily Intakes of pesticides.
• Assists FAO Members to identify pest problems and implement rational plant protection programmes that are economically viable and take into account human health and the environment, through:
  • studies and information exchange on aspects of pest control and Integrated Pest Management (IPM);
  • policy and technical advice to governments on pest management programmes;
  • technical assistance to FAO Members through training courses, meetings, publications;
  • supporting the implementation of IPM through the Special Action Programme on Integrated Pest Management.
• Assists FAO Members in controlling locusts and other migratory pests through:
  • coordinating all aspects of locust control and research activities;
  • provision of technical advice on all aspects of migratory pest control and promotion of the exchange of technical information on migratory pests;
  • coordination and provision of technical assistance to national, regional and donor inputs in activities and campaigns to control the desert locust and, where appropriate, other migratory pests.