From 26-28 February 2019, China hosted an international workshop on pesticide risk management with an agroecological based Integrated Pest Management approach. The workshop took place in Shanghai and was jointly organized by FAO and China through the global capacity development project under the FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Programme, More than 30 participants from 11 countries including: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Ukraine and China attended the meeting.

The workshop gave a platform for fruitful exchange of information among the countries on subjects such as regulations, new technologies and experience on pesticide risk management and integrated pest management. Countries actively engaged in discussions to identify gaps, challenges and further steps in pesticide risk management and the reduction of pesticide residue in the food supply chain. The workshop helped countries to enhance discussions on closer collaboration and identification of further steps to address pesticide risk reduction. Officials from the FAO-China SSC Programme, FAO’s Plant production and Protection Division and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) were actively involved in the discussions on the pesticide risk management policies and technologies.

One of the main outcomes of the meeting is finalization of a Concept Note for a regional project in Asia aimed to strengthen the capacity of pesticide lifecycle management in the countries under FAO-China SSC Programme.  The project will assist participating countries to increase their capacity in area of lifecycle management of pesticides and helping to improve implementation of the FAO/WHO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. During the workshop, it was highlighted that pesticides is still a key element in plant production in many countries, and thus pesticide management is highly important to ensure a sustainable higher productivity to promote sustainable agricultural development towards eliminating hunger. The work on pesticide management is high priority for FAO in order to achieve strategic objectives on making agriculture more sustainable and productive and enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems.

FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme

China has been one of the most active participators, major promoters and generous contributors of FAO’s SSC. Since 2009, China has contributed USD 80 million to FAO and established the FAO-China SSC Trust Fund, which was a milestone in the FAO-China partnership development and promoted the cooperation to a new level. Up to 2019, China has exchanged over 1 000 experts and technicians to 37 countries in the world since the establishment of the FAO-China SSC Programme.