In support of the risk reduction goal, the Organisation of
Economic Co-operation and Development OECD together with FAO held a Workshop in
Uppsala, Sweden from 16-18 October, hosted by KEMI, the Swedish Chemical
Regulatory Agency. WWF International and the Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK]
attended from the
NGO community. The workshop was preceded by a survey of OECD and some FAO member
country activities in terms of pesticide risk reduction.
Four working groups focused on policy issues, economic
instruments, farming methods, and safety. The Pesticide Forum, which oversees
the OECD Risk Reduction programme in February, will consider the recommendations
from the workshop and these support: lower-input and sustainable agriculture;
assistance to farmers to reduce pesticide use; the consideration of the
externalities or non-market costs of pesticide use-both in domestic use and in
aid programmes; and that member countries prepare national pesticide risk
reduction plans. (PB)
[This
article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 30,
December 1995, page 14]