DG of DoA GC (second from left) speaking in the meeting. Also seen are (from left) AFOAR Saha, PPD Director Sharma and Prgram Officer Thapa

KATHMANDU-A consultative and Validation Meeting on Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) for Rapid Bioassay of Pesticide Residues(RBPR) was organized in Lalitpur on 24 April 2016 by the Plant Protection Directorate of Department of Agriculture (DoA), Government of Nepal.

The validation meeting was focused on defining   Standard Operating Procedures for RBPR laboratory and gives background information on RBPR technique, advantages and limitations of RBPR technique over chemical methods of testing pesticides residues.

Plant Protection Directorate (PPD) has launched a two-year project "Strengthening Pesticide Management in Agriculture to Reduce Risks to Health and Environment (TCP/NEP/3502) "with technical and financial support of the FAO.  The project is also mandated to locate the site for RBPR Laboratories.

In the meeting, Dinesh K Nagia, Pesticide Expert, made presentations on Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Rapid Bioassay of Pesticide Laboratory and List of Chemicals and Equipment.

Explaining the usefulness of the RBPR technique for residue analysis in highly perishable produces like fruits and vegetables products, Nagia said that RBPR technique provides quick toxicological indications on plant samples with residue of organophosphates, carbamates, and detectable fungicides.  

25 representatives of the government agencies under the Department of Agriculture, Pesticide Entrepreneurs’ Association of Nepal and the FAO Nepal participated in the meeting chaired by Dilli Ram Sharma, Director of PPD. Sharma is also the National Coordinator of TCP/NEP/3502.

Also present in the meeting were Director-General of DoA Yubak Dhwaj GC, AFAOR Binod Saha and Program Officer of FAO Arjun Singh Thapa.