Towards a Non-Toxic Environment in South-East Asia

The ChallengeGovernments need to take controlChemicals are part of everyone’s life. They are essential forvirtually every sector in today’s society. Besides the many benefits,there are also deep concerns about threats posed to global healthand the environment.Chemicals production, use and disposal continue to expandworldwide. Assessments and forecasts, projecting trends to 2050,predict that global chemical sales will grow about 3 per cent peryear to 2050. Chemical manufacturing and processing activities,once largely located in the highly industrialised countries, arenow steadily expanding into developing countries and countrieswith economies in transition.Trace levels of chemicals, such as DDT, PCBs, mercury, lead and othertoxins have been found in people and animals all over the world.But very few people are aware of how this can affect their health.In 2011, researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO)used available estimates for certain toxic chemicals to calculatethe global burden of disease. They estimated that in 2004, at least2.3 million deaths and 34.1 million disability-adjusted life years4

(DALYs), which address a blend of death and disease impact canbe attributed to handling of, and exposure to, selected industrialchemicals. Of special note was the finding that children under age15 years were a highly susceptible group.Only when a sudden disaster happens, we come to know aboutit. We recall Bhopal in 1984, when a chemical leakage led tomore than 5,000 dead and hundreds of thousands poisoned. Theconsequences are still affecting the people and the environmentof Bhopal.Of the tens of thousands of chemicals on the market, only a fractionhas been thoroughly evaluated to fully determine their effectson human health and the environment. Even if some progress isbeing made to fill some of the gaps about health and environmenteffects, this data remains limited to individual chemicals. Real-lifeexposures are rarely limited to a single chemical and very littleinformation is available on the health and environmental effectsof chemical mixtures.With rapid industrialisation, countries in South East Asia facemany challenges in the area of chemicals management. Theintensive, and often insufficiently controlled, use of pesticides inthe large agriculture sector is part of the issue. The most readilyavailable pesticides in South-East Asia are often the most toxicand broad-spectrum products. The effects on public health andthe environment can be devastating. Institutions, legislation,enforcement and general awareness need to be enhanced.Besides the obvious negative effect on health and environment,the lack of control on pesticide use and resulting residues has alsoaffected trade. Due to tough restrictions on the use of chemicals inthe European Union and the USA, entire shipments of vegetablesand seafood with unacceptable high level of chemical residueshave been sent back to the country of origin. The economic lossesare considerable to farmers, industry and governments – and thepeople of the affected countries.Governments need to take action to control and regulate thesechemicals more effectively. “Towards a Non-Toxic Environmentin South-East Asia” provides assistance in taking on the challenge.5

The ProgrammeSeeking a holistic approachThe major challenge is to deal with the fact that responsibilitiesand activities for chemical management are spread amongmany ministries and institutions. Instead of dealing with onechemical substance at a time, governments need to take action ina concerted manner. Changes in the institutional and regulatoryframework and policy reform must go hand in hand.The programme works with a holistic, inclusive approach tryingto seek synergies from efforts at different levels. At the grassroot level, rural communities are empowered to tackle pesticiderelatedproblems from a risk-reduction perspective. Use of themost hazardous pesticides must be eliminated. Overall use ofchemicals must be reduced in favour of sustainable alternatives,such as Integrated Pest Management. Training of farmers forsustainable intensification of crop production and educationof farmers and school children in pesticide risk reduction areimportant parts of this work.7

But empowering communities at the grass root level is not enough.Simultaneously, the programme helps enhance policy reform andregulatory control at national and regional levels. A particularstrength of the programme is its enhancement of direct feedbackfrom community based monitoring and information gatheringinto policy formulation.Working both with governments at different levels and with civilsociety organisations (CSOs) ensures a broad approach towardschanging behaviour and policies at all levels of society.By using similar linkages, a sustainable system to control the useof chemicals can be built up. Informed and empowered farmersand local community leaders enhance change from the bottom-8

up, while strengthening of regulatory control simultaneouslyaddresses the issues from the top-down.It is our vision that a successful and broad regional programmeon chemical safety can most effectively be developed throughgradual expansion from a limited initial focus. The programmestarted with a focus on the urgent and widespread problemsrelated to pesticide use, with an emphasis on elimination ofhighly hazardous and persistent pesticides. Key elements ofthe approach include broad awareness raising, strengtheningof regulatory control and promotion of integrated pestmanagement. In parallel, the experiences gained from the workon pesticides are being used to build up a general chemicalsmanagement capacity.9

Associated organisationFAO Regional Office for Asia and the PacificThe FAO Asia Regional Integrated Pest Management/PesticideRisk Reduction Programme supports governments and NGOs incapacity building for a coordinated approach to applied research,extension and farmer education activities. The objective is topromote and support the development and application of IPMin smallholder crop production throughout the Asia region. Theprogramme provides advice, organises training of trainers andarranges for exchange of expertise. The programme funds fieldactivities as well as provides advice to national governments forbetter policies in the field of farmer education, crop protection,good agricultural practices and rural development.Regional IPM/Pesticide Risk Reduction ProgrammeFAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,Bangkok, Thailandwww.fao.org/world/regional/rap/ & www.vegetableipmasia.org11

Associated organisationFAO Headquarters, Pesticides Risk Reduction GroupThe FAO Risk Reduction Group provides guidance to thedevelopment of regulatory frameworks for the control of pesticides.The group works primarily at international and governmentlevel. Under this programme, it has provided assistance to LaoPDR, Viet Nam and Cambodia in their processes to improvepesticide legislation. Further it assists with capacity building forthe enforcement of pesticide legislation, notably in the areas oflicensing and inspection of pesticide retailers.Pesticide Risk Reduction ProgrammePlant Production and Protection DivisionFAO Headquarters,Rome, Italywww.fao.org/agriculture/crops/core-themes/theme/pests/en/12

Associated organisationPesticide Action Network Asia and the PacificPesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) is oneof the regional coordinating centres of PAN. This internationalcoalition of citizen’s groups and individuals opposes the misuseof pesticides and supports reliance on safe, sustainable pestcontrol methods. PAN has evolved a strong Asian perspective,linked to more than 150 groups, and works consistently withsome 50 groups in 18 countries in the Asia Pacific region.PAN AP’s Community based Pesticide Action Monitoring(CPAM) project has evolved over a 10-year period and hasbecome a comprehensive programme for awareness raising andempowerment of local communities. It simultaneously deliversvaluable documentation for advocacy and networking at thenational and international level. PAN AP provides information,analysis and campaign materials for network partners. Theorganisation is actively involved in international initiatives likethe Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the FAO Code ofConduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides and the policyframework SAICM. The empowerment of women is a consciouseffort in all PAN AP’s work.Pesticide Action Network Asia and the PacificPenang, Malaysiawww.panap.net13

Associated organisationThe Field AllianceThe Field Alliance (TFA) derives from the FAO Regional IPMProgramme, which played a prominent role in capacity buildingfor sustainable agriculture in Asia. What began as an IntegratedPest Management (IPM) project became an umbrella forfarmer-led experimentation, training, organising and advocacyin a range of issues on community health, rural education,and farmers’ rights. The vision, methods and expertise thatdrove the Regional IPM Programme are now the basis for anindependent foundation dedicated to the empowerment of Asianfarmers – The Field Alliance. One of the allied organisations,the Thai Education Foundation, has played a leading role in thedevelopment of environmental education programmes for schoolchildren based on the ‘farmer field school’ approach. Followingthe pilot activities in a number of Thai primary schools, similarprogrammes are currently implemented in Cambodia, Lao PDR,Philippines and Viet Nam.The Field AllianceBangkok, Thailandwww.thefieldalliance.org14

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