Harare, Zimbabwe. Regulators and technical specialists from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific agreed on a strengthened roadmap to reduce the risks posed by highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) during an interregional dialogue held from 12 to 14 November 2025 under the European Union (EU) funded Building capacity related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries programme (ACP MEAs 3).

Hosted by the FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa and the Government of Zimbabwe, the meeting deepened shared learning, strengthened technical capacities and advanced coordinated approaches for pesticide risk reduction across ACP regions.

A unified response to shared pesticide challenges

The dialogue responded to common concerns across ACP countries, where limited technical capacity, fragmented regulatory frameworks, and the increasing impacts of climate change continue to heighten reliance on chemical pesticides.  Highly hazardous pesticides, though representing a relatively small share of overall pesticide use, pose disproportionately severe risks to human health and the environment, making their reduction and phase-out a global priority.

Participants reviewed the findings of the ACP MEAs 3 global baseline study on HHPs. They explored practical approaches for identifying HHPs, assessing associated risks and needs. The participants shared experiences on mitigation strategies aimed at phasing out hazardous active ingredients and products, while promoting safer alternatives, especially biodiversity-friendly pest control options. The discussions also highlighted how multilateral environmental agreements can complement each other, enabling countries to streamline reporting and strengthen the implementation of the Rotterdam, Stockholm and Basel Conventions, as well as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Regional bodies including the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community, the Caribbean Basel Convention Regional Centre and the Pacific Community presented progress on harmonizing pesticide regulation and strengthening regional decision making. The discussions underscored the need for further capacity building, including tools such as the FAO Pesticide Registration Toolkit, risk and alternative assessment templates, checklists, common databases for alternatives to HHPs for specific crop/pest combinations and standard operating procedures to support countries with limited regulatory capacity.

During the meeting, Ivy Saunyama, Agricultural Officer with the FAO Pest and Pesticide Management Team, emphasized the urgency of reducing HHP risks, noting, “Highly hazardous pesticides continue to put farmers, consumers and ecosystems at risk. What we have seen in Harare is a strong commitment from ACP countries to transition towards safer pest management systems. With the right tools, capacity and collaboration, countries can make decisive steps to protect people and biodiversity while sustaining agricultural productivity.”

Demonstrating safer alternatives at farm level

A field visit to Lauetta Investment Farm outside Harare showcased practical alternatives to HHPs, including biopesticides, pheromone and tape traps, biological control agents and non-chemical post-harvest handling. Participants observed how integrated pest management can maintain high yields while aligning with both national and regional market and environmental requirements.

Kim-Anh Tempelman, Project Officer and ACP MEAs 3 Coordinator, stated, “The visit to the farm showed that reducing reliance on highly hazardous pesticides is not only possible but achievable at scale. Integrated pest management approaches that we saw in practice offer valuable lessons for other ACP countries as they work to protect biodiversity and strengthen food system resilience.”

She further highlighted the broader significance of the dialogue, “This dialogue reaffirmed that regional harmonization, shared learning, and MEA synergies are essential for sustainable pesticide management. The networks strengthened here will continue to drive south to south cooperation and support countries to implement practical, scalable solutions for reducing HHP risks,” she stated.