Pesticide Management is an activity carried out within the overall framework of the Plant Production and Protection Division of FAO. It is designed to work together with member countries and other International Organizations as a partner to introduce sustainable and environmentally sound agricultural practices that reduce health and environmental risks associated with the use of pesticides.
The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides
The International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides focuses on risk reduction, protection of human health and the environmental, and support for sustainable agricultural development by using pesticides in an effective manner and applying IPM strategies.
Of particular concern are countries where living and working conditions make pesticide use more risky.
The 12 Articles of the Code, plus supporting technical guidelines and a new Annex consisting of references to international policy instruments related to the Code, represent an up-to-date standard for pesticide management. This embodies a modern approach, leading to sound management of pesticides which focuses on risk reduction, protection of human and environmental health, and support for sustainable agricultural development by using pesticides in an effective manner and applying IPM strategies. In addition, the revised Code includes the life-cycle concept of pesticide management. See more in the International Code of Conduct web page.
Pesticide Management
In March 2007 FAO and WHO signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in a Joint Programme For The Sound Management Of Pesticides to provide unified, coordinated and consistent advice and support to their Member States and to other stakeholders on sound management of pesticides. The "FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Management" (JMPM) is an expert ad hoc body administered jointly by FAO and WHO: the JMPM advises on matters pertaining to pesticide regulation, management and use, and alerts to new developments, problems or issues that otherwise merit attention from one or both Organizations. The JMPM consists of members drawn from the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Management and the WHO Panel of Experts on Vector Biology and Control, which are statutory advisory bodies of the respective Organizations.
Pesticide Residues
The environmental and health impact of pesticides is being reduced through the implementation of a number of concrete programmes on pesticide management, including the risk assessment of pesticide residues in food and the environment.
The "Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues" (JMPR) is an expert ad hoc body administered jointly by FAO and WHO in the purpose of harmonizing the requirement and the risk assessment on the pesticide residues
The JMPR has met annually since 1963 to conduct scientific evaluations of pesticide residues in food. It provides advice on the acceptable levels of pesticide residues in food moving in international trade. The JMPR consists of experts drawn from governments and academic circles. They attend as independent internationally-recognized specialists who act in a personal capacity and not as representatives of national governments.
The FAO segment of JMPR, the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment, considers available data on recognized / registered use patterns, fate of residues, animal and plant metabolism data, analytical methodology and residue data developed through supervised trials. Based on these data, maximum residue levels are proposed for individual pesticides in individual food and feed items or well-defined groups of commodities. The deliberations of the JMPR are summarized in the annual Report of the Meeting. The detailed evaluations of the residue (Evaluations Part I) and toxicology data (Evaluations Part II) are also published annually and circulated widely to member governments, international organizations and other interested parties. See more in the JMPR web page
Pesticide quality specifications
The "Joint Meeting on Pesticide Specifications" (JMPS) is an expert ad hoc body administered jointly by FAO and WHO, composed of scientists collectively possessing expert knowledge of the development of specifications. Their opinions and recommendations to FAO/WHO are provided in their individual expert capacities, not as representatives of their countries or organizations.
The primary function of the JMPS is to produce recommendations to FAO and/or WHO on the adoption, extension, modification or withdrawal of specifications. See more in the Pesticide Specifications and Quality Control Standards web page
FAO is publishing specifications for pesticides and their related formulations, as well the accompanying manual on the development and use of these specifications.
The purpose of these publications is to provide
- a normal standard of quality for the buying and selling of pesticides
- assistance in the official approval and acceptance of pesticides
- protection for responsible vendors against inferior products
- a link between biological efficacy and specification requirements
- an international point of reference;
See more in the FAO Specifications for Agricultural Pesticides web page
Pesticide Management Update
Through this Update the Pesticide Management Group inform subscribers on new publications, reports and upcoming events deriving from its work.
If you wish to enroll, please send a message to Pesticide-Management@fao.org.
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