FAO and the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution: the role of plastics used in agriculture

Geneva - The FAO Liaison Office in Geneva (LOG), together with the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) organized an Informal Dialogue on “FAO and the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution: the role of plastics used in agriculture.” The event aimed at sharing information with Permanent Missions in Geneva and other stakeholders and exchanging views on: (i) FAO’s ongoing work on the management of plastics for agricultural use and their alternatives; (ii) Update on the ongoing deliberations of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) on plastic pollution to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, in relation to agriculture; (iii) Best practices on policies for improved sustainability for plastics used in agriculture at national level.

FAO estimates that every year 12.5 million tonnes of plastic products are used in plant and animal production, including fisheries and forestry. The benefits of using plastics in agriculture include increased yields and production efficiency alongside reduced food loss and waste, however their use incurs high environmental, economic and social costs, primarily from increased pollution. The 2021 FAO’s Assessment of agricultural plastics and their sustainability Report included a call for global action for improved inter-sectoral collaboration and governance to address the issues of plastic use throughout agrifood systems. In December 2022, at its 171st Session, FAO Council endorsed the decisions of the 28th Session of the Committee on Agriculture.

Setting the scene, Kaveh Zahedi, Director of OCB, underlined the ongoing process among FAO member states to develop a Code of Conduct on Plastics and the role of FAO in Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) meetings to address critical issues around plastic pollution and its impact on food systems and the environment. Lev Neretin, Lead of the Environment Workstream in OCB, elaborated on the problem with plastics used unsustainably in agriculture and presented the work of FAO on plastics used in agriculture. He also presented the perspective of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2), as it relates to agriculture.

Country Case Studies from France, China, Australia and Nigeria

Ronan Vanot, Director General of ADIVALOR, first presented the functioning of the plastic waste collection and recycling scheme set up by ADIVALOR in France. Vanot highlighted that the scheme promotes the responsible commitment of agricultural suppliers, improves the environmental performance and competitiveness of French agriculture, and positions them as pioneers of the new circular economy in France and Europe.

Shen Yanjie, Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations Office at Geneva and other international organizations in Switzerland, introduced the policies, regulations, and incentives in China on the use and recycling of mulch films.

Anne-Maree Boland, Principal Consultant, and Isabel Axiö, Senior Consultant from RM Consulting Group, Australia, presented the case of Agricultural Plastics in Australia. Australia benefits from a National Waste Policy for responsible waste management and resource efficiency, with significant work taking place at the policy, research, and development levels.

As an effort to mainstream youth engagement throughout FAO Geneva’s works under the World Food Forum framework, Abubakar Bamai Musa, National Coordinator of the Nigeria Young Farmers Network, presented the use of plastics in Nigeria and best practices and projects to address plastic pollution in agriculture. He elaborated on the role of young farmers in finding sustainable solutions to plastic management through innovation, advocacy, collaboration with other stakeholders, education, and leadership.

Resources

- Thinking about the future of food safety, FAO (2022)

- Global Assessment of Soil Pollution, FAO & UNEP (2021)