PESTICIDE OVERSTOCKS: FAO LETTER TO LOCUST

UNCLAS ROME 001451

SIPDIS


FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME

STATE FOR IO/EDA, AF/W, NEA/ENA, OES/ENV; PASS EPA
USAID FOR DCHA, OFDA GOTTLIEB AND AFR LAVELLE
USDA FOR FAS HUGHES
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH/USAID
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID EAGR SENV XI XY UN FAO
SUBJECT: PESTICIDE OVERSTOCKS: FAO LETTER TO LOCUST
COMMUNITY

REF: (A) 04 ROME 0722; (B) 04 ROME 3979; (C) 04 ROME
3581; (D) 05 ROME 0764


1. Summary. The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) alerted USUN Rome to a potential
problem with pesticides overstocks in Sahelian and North
African countries currently embattling desert locusts,
via a letter (see below) to affected countries and the
donor community to enable posts and donors to respond.
USUN Rome appreciates guidance, as pesticides overstocks
will be an agenda item at the May 3, 2005, Geneva Group
meeting it is hosting. End Summary.


2. Background. In preparation for the spring-summer 2005
desert locust control campaign, the United Nations (UN)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been actively
engaged in contingency planning, including developing a
country-by-country matrix on equipment/supplies to review
resources available and identify gaps. One item
meticulously being tracked is stocks of pesticides
currently available in affected countries. Working with
national planners in each of the front-line countries,
FAO is conducting detailed, comprehensive inventories of
pesticide stocks, and noted alarmingly high levels of
stock in some countries. Depending on the magnitude of
the 2005 campaign, the excess stocks potentially could
pose a problem, which will need to be addressed later on
in terms of environmentally correct disposal and/or
storage. End Background.


3. To avoid a further build up of pesticide stocks
through bilateral donations, as occurred in March 2005
when Moroccan King Mohamed VI donated 250,000 liters to
Senegal, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf sent a letter
dated April 16, 2005, to affected countries and members
of the desert locust donor community to generate better
coordination. The text of the letter follows:

Begin text--

--I have the honour to draw your attention to the
important role played by pesticides during the Desert
Locust campaign of 2004. In order to avoid the build-up
of excess stocks of pesticides, while ensuring that
urgent pesticide needs were met, the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations (FAO) drew up a list
of pesticides with least harmful effects on public health
and the environment and established a coordination
network with the locust affected countries.

--Despite these efforts at coordination among partners,
especially to avoid an excess stock of pesticides at the
end of the campaign, the current pesticide stocks are
estimated at 2 million litres in the Sahelian countries
and at least 3.5 million litres in the North African
countries. These stocks vary from 100 000 to 800 000
litres in the Sahelian countries. FAO considers the
remaining stocks in certain countries far too large.

--As early as the end of October/beginning of November
2004, FAO informed all partners (international agencies
and donor countries) that the available stocks of


pesticides were sufficient to face any potential invasion
in 2005 and that FAO had an efficient system for the
procurement and supply of pesticides to respond to any
emergency situation.

--I was recently informed that some bilateral donations
of pesticides were received in 2005, even after the end
of the Desert Locust campaign, and further donations are
foreseen. I should like to draw your attention to the
potential risk of these pesticides becoming obsolete.

--I should also like to take the opportunity to inform
you that the use of these available pesticide
formulations is specific to Desert Locust control and
that these pesticides should be kept under appropriate
storage conditions. If not, they could rapidly become
obsolete, and the onerous cost of disposal would be added
to that of the impact upon human health and the
environment.

--Finally, I would like to share with you and with the
other international agencies and donor countries my
concern regarding this issue and to reiterate the
continuous efforts made by FAO regarding the actual
pesticide needs for the region within the Desert Locust
control campaign of 2004. In this respect, I appeal for
better coordination among all partners to avoid local
purchases or bilateral donation of pesticides in the near
future.

--I thank you for your cooperation with FAO in combating
this pest and wish to compliment you on your efforts in
regional assistance in Desert Locust control, especially
with regard to the protection of human health and the
environment.

End Text


4. FAO notes that increased attention to proper storage
of remaining pesticide stocks would be required in all
scenarios (best, worst and most probable case of locust
infestation). Further, the best-case scenario may not
necessarily be the cheapest, as significant expenses will
have to be incurred regardless to properly store
operative or dispose of obsolete pesticides.


5. Comment and action requested: USUN Rome Ambassador
Hall is hosting a Geneva Group meeting on May 3, 2005, at
which the subject of FAO Director-General Diouf's letter
will be raised with the FAO donor community. Comments
from posts in affected countries as well as guidance from
USG agencies are invited. USUN Rome aims to encourage
better donor communication and coordination on this
issue.


6. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED


HALL


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2005ROME01451 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED