The 22nd JMPS Meeting was held from 13 to 18 June 2023 at Bundesamts für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit (BVL) in Braunschweig, Germany. The meeting brought together FAO and WHO panel members of JMPS. It was opened by Mr Baogen Gu, Team leader of Pest and Pesticide Management, Plant Production and Protection, FAO, and Mr Dominic Schuler, WHO Secretariat of JMPS. Mr Gu appreciated great achievements of JMPS, and highlighted important role of JMPS in sound lifecycle management of pesticides and contributes to achieving the objectives of FAO’s strategic framework, as well as agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs. 

The meeting evaluated 11 FAO specifications, seven WHO specifications and 11 FAO/WHO specifications and discussed some fundamental documents with consensus, such as revision of proposer’s data entry template, JMPS operation manual, requirements for additional sites from the same manufacturers, review / re-evaluation of existing FAO specifications. The workplan of JMPS for next 3 years was discussed and finalized.  

A consultation meeting with pesticide industry representatives was organized to discuss some concerns and technical issues of FAO/WHO specifications from stakeholders. In addition, the 18th JOINT CIPAC/FAO/WHO OPEN MEETING was organized on 19 June in Braunschweig to discuss analytic methods for pesticide specifications. 

One milestone achievement of the meeting is that the meeting endorsed the new Manual on Development and Use of FAO and WHO Specifications for Microbial Pesticides.  The manual will provide clear guidance on establishing specifications of microbial pesticide, and would greatly facilitate development and quality control of biopesticides. This will help to minimize the pesticide risks to human health and the environment, and contribute to achieving better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life. It was widely supported and welcome by all related stakeholders.