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

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Summary
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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.

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Discussion
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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.

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Conclusion
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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


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2003ROME03740 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED