3. Pesticides, SPS standards and their implementation
3.1 International pesticide regulation
3.1.1 National regulations
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and other international bodies have consistently encouraged national pesticide registration schemes, which have now been implemented in most countries.
However, it is not always easy to implement regulations (especially those that are technical in nature) in remote rural areas, and products may also pass through ‘porous national borders’.
The farmer therefore may be faced with a bewildering array of products, with little advice provided on their appropriate use.
In all countries, the primary role of registration is to protect human health. FAO codes of conduct on matters such as the importation of chemicals are based on the principle of prior informed consent (see below), where importing countries have a right to know about pesticides (and other substances) that have been banned or restricted in other countries.
It is the responsibility of Governments to provide appropriate guidance on the use of hazardous compounds, ranging from easily comprehensible labelling to outright banning of the most toxic products.
The FAO published a Code of Conduct in 2016 outlining guidelines on Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHP – see Box 1). It is designed to “provide guidance to countries on how to interpret and apply these articles effectively in order to reduce risks posed by HHPs.
Countries are encouraged to identify the HHPs in use, to assess the risks involved and to decide upon appropriate measures to mitigate these risks. These guidelines apply to all pesticides, including agricultural, public health, household, amenity and industrial pesticides” [1].
In order to mitigate risks “while effective, less hazardous, alternatives are available; the most effective option to mitigate such risks will often be to end its use through regulatory action. This can be done through banning or through cancelling or withdrawing registration, or not extending registration”.
