In 2001, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to develop specifications for pesticides jointly, thus providing unique, robust and universally applicable standards for pesticide quality. This joint programme is based on a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Organizations.
The Manual on development and use of FAO and WHO specifications for pesticides is the first publication of this joint programme and supersedes all previous manuals and guidance documents published by either FAO or WHO on this subject. It provides the standard process, unified requirements and procedures, harmonized definitions and nomenclature, technical guidelines and standards applicable to pesticides for use in agriculture and public health. FAO/WHO specifications for pesticides based on this manual are developed through the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Specifications (JMPS) and published on the Web sites of the two Organizations:
http://www.fao.org/AG/AGP/AGPP/Pesticid
and
http://www.who.int/ctd/whopes
FAO/WHO specifications apply only to the products of manufacturers whose technical materials have been evaluated. The specifications may be used to provide an international point of reference against which the quality of products can be judged, either for regulatory purposes or in commercial dealings, thereby helping to prevent the trade, sale and use of inferior quality pesticide products. Thus the specifications will enhance confidence in the purchase and use of pesticides and, at the same time, contribute towards better pest control, sound agricultural production, effective vector control measures and improved user, public and environmental safety throughout the world, especially in developing countries.
