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Article 3. Pesticide management

  • 3.1 Governments have the overall responsibility to regulate the availability, distribution and use of pesticides in their countries and should ensure the allocation of adequate resources for this mandate (2).
  • 3.2 Pesticide industry should adhere to the provisions of this Code as a standard for the manufacture, distribution and advertising of pesticides, particularly in countries lacking appropriate legislation and advisory services.
  • 3.3 Governments of pesticide exporting countries should, to the extent possible:
    • 3.3.1 provide technical assistance to other countries, especially those lacking technical expertise in the assessment of the relevant data on pesticides;
    • 3.3.2 ensure that good trading practices are followed in the export of pesticides, especially to those countries with limited or no regulatory schemes.
  • 3.4 Pesticide industry and traders should observe the following practices in pesticide management, especially in countries without legislation or means of implementing regulations:
    • 3.4.1 supply only pesticides of adequate quality, packaged and labelled as appropriate for each specific market (3);
    • 3.4.2 in close cooperation with procurers of pesticides, adhere closely to provisions of FAO guidelines on tender procedures (4);
    • 3.4.3 pay special attention to the choice of pesticide formulations and to presentation, packaging and labelling in order to reduce risks to users and minimize adverse effects on the environment;
    • 3.4.4 provide, with each package of pesticide, information and instructions in a form and language adequate to ensure effective use and reduce risks during handling;
    • 3.4.5 be capable of providing effective technical support, backed up by full product stewardship to field level, including advice on disposal of pesticides and used pesticide containers, if necessary;
    • 3.4.6 retain an active interest in following their products to the end-user, keeping track of major uses and the occurrence of any problems arising from the use of their products, as a basis for determining the need for changes in labelling, directions for use, packaging, formulation or product availability.
  • 3.5 Pesticides whose handling and application require the use of personal protective equipment that is uncomfortable, expensive or not readily available should be avoided, especially in the case of small-scale users in tropical climates (5). Preference should be given to pesticides that require inexpensive personal protective and application equipment and to procedures appropriate to the conditions under which the pesticides are to be handled and used.
  • 3.6 National and international organizations, governments and pesticide industry should take coordinated action to disseminate educational materials of all types to pesticide users, farmers, farmer organizations, agricultural workers, unions and other interested parties. Similarly, users should seek and understand educational materials before applying pesticides and should follow proper procedures.
  • 3.7 Concerted efforts should be made by governments to develop and promote the use of IPM. Furthermore, lending institutions, donor agencies and governments should support the development of national IPM policies and improved IPM concepts and practices. These should be based on scientific and other strategies that promote increased participation of farmers (including women's groups), extension agents and on-farm researchers.
  • 3.8 All stakeholders, including farmers and farmer associations, IPM researchers, extension agents, crop consultants, food industry, manufacturers of biological and chemical pesticides and application equipment, environmentalists and representatives of consumer groups should play a proactive role in the development and promotion of IPM.
  • 3.9 Governments, with the support of relevant international and regional organizations, should encourage and promote research on, and the development of, alternatives posing fewer risks: biological control agents and techniques, non-chemical pesticides and pesticides that are, as far as possible or desirable, target-specific, that degrade into innocuous constituent parts or metabolites after use and are of low risk to humans and the environment.
  • 3.10 Governments and the application equipment industry should develop and promote the use of pesticide application methods (6, 7) and equipment (8, 9, 10, 11) that pose low risks to human health and the environment and that are more efficient and cost-effective, and should conduct ongoing practical training in such activities (12).
  • 3.11 Governments, pesticide industry and national and international organizations should collaborate in developing and promoting resistance management strategies to prolong the useful life of valuable pesticides and reduce the adverse effects resulting from the development of resistance of pests to pesticides.

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