and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

8 IFSICIDI" .MANAGiEMI'NTF AND DPM IN SOITHFAST ASIA
of which is dhc "Panel of Experts on Pesticide Specification, Registration
Requiren:cnts and Application Standards". The Panel published two booklets
entitled "Guidelines for Legislation concerning the Registration for Sale and
Marketing of Pesticides" and "A Model for the Establishment of National
Orgnizations for the Official Control of Pesticides". These booklets provide
broad policy guidelines on various aspects of pesticide management (FAO 1985).
Countries in Southeas. Asia in the process of establishing pesticide regulations
will find these booklets very valuable.
With rcguards to residue problems in food, the FAO "Panel of Experts on
Pesticide Residues in Food and Environment" has established the "Acceptable
Daily Intake" for humans, of more than 180 compounds.
The responsibility for safe and effective pesticide management does not only
rest with the Government but also with all public sector groups, i.e., scientists,
pesticide industry personnel, traders, farmers, consumers, environmentalists,
health workers, laborers, formal and informal leaders, etc. The public sector
groups should share in these responsibilities and participate in the successful
implementation of regulations. Because of the dynamic nature of modern plant
protection technologies, the existing Pesticide Regulations should also be
anmCnable for improvement to meet changing needs. The governments of
Southeast Asian countries who have already made several adjustments to their
respective regulations as needed, should continue to do so.
Public sector groups should actively interact with the government in
providing information on the socioeconomic as well as technical problems that
arise lrcm pesticide use. In this regard, the International Code of Conduct
recently developed by FAO (1985) is particularly of value to those countries that
do not yet have control procedures for development, distribution and use of
pesticides, or those countries with inadequate pesticide regulations.
One important point to consider is harmonization of pesticide registration
requirements. There has been good progress made in this respect through the
activitics undertaken by the Regional Network on Pesticides for Asia and the
Pacific (RENPAF) (Gaston 1986). We suggcst that RENPAF continue to hold
periodic consultations to encourage harmonization in other aspects of pesticide
management. The agrochemical industry has reactd positively to the Code and
has actively participated in its formulation. Industry has already adhered to many
of' the Code's provisions, for example, the safe application of pesticides, and
training for safe-handling guidelines of various aspects of pesticide safety (Aebi
1986).
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Training in various aspects of pesticide and pest management for officials
engaged in law enforcement is essential to increase the effectiveness of their
operations. Some training should also be given to plant protection field
workers, pesticide distributors, retailers, and last but not least, to farmers who
directly work with pesticides. Vigorous action should be taken to better cope
with pesticide residues in food and environment, problems that have become