Eco-toxicology training of trainers – Aug/Sept 06 and Jan/Feb 07
Training of trainers in monitoring ecological impacts of pesticides in the tropics was completed in March in four partner countries: Benin, Ethiopia, Senegal and Tanzania. The trainings were aimed at a mixture of government and NGO staff, and follow up projects to give participants some concrete experience of eco-toxicological monitoring will be organised in 2007. See project activities for more information.
CPAM training in Malaysia - November 2005
An exchange visit was organised for African partners to attend a CPAM training course in Asia, to observe the methodology in practice and further develop the materials for Africa. 1 PAN Africa and 1 TPAWU staff attended training in Penang, Malaysia, from 10-16 November 05. PAN Africa and TPAWU reported that the course content was relevant to the African situation and NGO work, and that the participatory and practical-based methodology was good; however the use of local language might be difficult in Africa given the large number of local languages: and the examples cited and drawings used would need to be adapted before use in Africa.
Stakeholder meetings - July and August 2005
Stakeholder meetings were held in Senegal (July 2005) and Tanzania (August 2005), and were attended by over 25 key individuals from the national institutions responsible for chemical management. The project staff presented the key activities of Pesticides and Poverty, while participants presented overviews of their activities, and during group sessions, participants contributed to the development and planning of the project activities in the countries, particularly focusing on the Consolidated Guide to Conventions, the two trainings (community health and eco-toxicology) and the case studies. During a discussion on the main barriers and problems in implementation of the conventions, important constraints identified by participants included limited data and information from the field (e.g. reports or studies on the extent of poisonings or environmental contamination incidents), and limited capacity to follow up – in many cases one individual may be responsible for a number of initiatives and be expected to have expertise in a number of different areas. Positive aspects identified by partners included a general interest and heightened awareness in environmental issues generally, particularly in the media, which helps draw attention to chemical issues. Additional stakeholders to include in country maps and invite to meetings were identified, including parliamentarians and journalists.
Pesticides and Poverty launch - March 2005
The high cost of unregulated pesticide use on farmers’ health and the global environment has finally reached international attention. The Pesticide Action Network (PAN), an international alliance of over 600 civil society, environment, and farmers’ organisations worldwide, is launching a 1.3 million euro project to involve farmers and victims of pesticide poisoning in the implementation of crucial international agreements designed to reduce the hazards of pesticides on humans and the environment. Funded by the EU, the project will run for three years. <more>
