Friday, September 18, 2015

Baseline Environmental Requirements Help Reduce Pesticide Use in West and North-West Africa

Many of the pesticides used in desert locust control pose a risk to the environment and to human health, even if they are used judiciously.

To minimize the impact of pesticides use on human health and the environment, member countries of the FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Western Region (CLCPRO) established baseline environmental requirements that locust campaigns should comply with.

The endorsement of the Human and Environment Standards by eight countries of the CLCPRO has allowed a better management of pesticide stocks, the mapping of sensitive areas and the use of biopesticides in the region covered by the Commission.

Mali and Mauritania were among the first countries to meet the two most important requirements: developing their Pesticide Stock Management System (PSMS) and mapping of ecologically sensitive areas.

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