FAO's Efforts to Eliminate Obsolete Pesticides in

UNCLAS ROME 003740 SIPDIS AIDAC FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME AMEMBASSY MAPUTO FOR AMBASSADOR WILKINSON AND USAID DIRECTOR KNOTT AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA FOR AMBASSADOR BRAZEAL AND USAID DIRECTOR LEWELLEN AMEMBASSY DAR-ES-SALAAAM FOR AMBASSADOR ROYALL AND USAID DIRECTOR KIRKLAND AMEMBASSY BAMAKO FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLESTON AND USAID DIRECTOR WHITE STATE FOR IO/EDA USAID FOR AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP/D LANDIS, DCHA/OFDA/D MCCONNELL USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID EAGR PREF WFP UN SUBJECT: FAO's Efforts to Eliminate Obsolete Pesticides in Sub-Saharan Africa REF: (A) STATE 68866 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Obsolete pesticides pose a serious impediment to sustainable development and can cause human health problems. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations established the Africa Stockpiles Program (ASP) as a long-term effort to identify, transport, and eliminate obsolete pesticides from the African continent. The U.S. Mission Rome endorses FAO's ASP initiative and encourages USAID Missions in targeted African countries to consider their active support. End summary. -------------- Discussion -------------- ¶2. Active support might take the form of consultations with host government and FAO counterparts, cooperative agreements, or grants. Monetary support might include leveraging a U.S. Dollar (USD) 25 million fund from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) that requires co- financing or contributing to a multi-lateral trust fund established by the World Bank. ¶3. The ASP in Ethiopia builds on the considerable work already accomplished by the Government, FAO, and the other stakeholders such as Crop Life International. The Ethiopia work is fully funded, in large part because of the early USD one million contribution from USAID that helped to initiate it. Phase 1 of the project is complete, with 1500 tons of pesticide waste shipped. Phase 2 will clear the remaining 1500 tons and implement a wide-ranging prevention program. ¶4. In Tanzania, FAO plans to train staff on how to take inventories and safeguard obsolete pesticides beginning in October. This effort follows the identification of about 1000 tons of obsolete pesticides and 200 tons of veterinary waste scattered over 325 sites about 6 years ago. An update of the inventory and safeguarding of high-risk sites will follow the planned training. This will be a preliminary activity to a pesticide cleanup and prevention project budgeted at USD 8.25 million of which approximately USD 3.5 has been raised. ¶5. In Mali, a project management unit is being established which will complete an inventory using funds administered by PASAOP, a rural development initiative. Additional funds to eliminate stockpiles and remediate high-risk contaminated sites would be welcome. ¶6. In Mozambique, a newly appointed FAO chief technical officer is beginning a new inventory, including an assessment of the cost of cleanup. The prospective agenda would also include reviewing pesticide legislation and conducting a needs assessment regarding activities such as integrated pest management. At the end of the project, say in 12 months, a proposal will be developed and a donor meeting held. ¶7. In Eritrea, FAO has begun an assessment based on a Government request. Accordingly, funds will be required to carry out an inventory of obsolete stocks before the end of the year, and there will be a need to design and implement a disposal project. ¶8. In South Africa, NEPAD will host an ASP meeting in September. Among other topics, the meeting will provide an opportunity to confer with the many stakeholders to explore strategies and devise possible solutions to the obsoleteDDIS ABABA FOR AMBASSADOR BRAZEAL AND USAID DIRECTOR LEWELLEN AMEMBASSY DAR-ES-SALAAAM FOR AMBASSADOR ROYALL AND USAID DIRECTOR KIRKLAND AMEMBASSY BAMAKO FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLESTON AND USAID DIRECTOR WHITE STATE FOR IO/EDA USAID FO pesticide problem in South Africa. -------------- Conclusion -------------- ¶9. FAO's ASFP provides an opportunity for USAID Missions to develop collaborative strategies with FAO to rid dangerous and unwanted pesticides from their host countries. ¶10. Because of widely varying pesticide amounts, locations, storage characteristics, and remediation requirements, the ASP is highly complex. FAO, the UN's premier agricultural science agency, is uniquely positioned to coordinate the resources and tasks necessary to rid Africa of unwanted pesticides within the foreseeable future. ¶11. Accordingly, the US Mission Rome encourages USAID Missions in targeted African countries to consider supporting FAO's ASP. Berton NNNN 2003ROME03740 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED