Alaa Farouk, Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, has launched the "Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework" project, initiated by CropLife Group in coordination with the Agricultural Pesticides Committee. The Minister highlighted that around 10,000 tonnes of pesticides are used annually on agricultural lands in Egypt, while global production stands at 5 million tonnes, valued at $60bn. Among these, over 7% are counterfeit pesticides that are unsuitable for use and pose health risks. Farouk emphasized that no pesticide will be registered without field testing under Egyptian conditions. This process ensures compliance with physical and chemical standards, checks for impurities, and assesses safety for human health and the environment before any product is approved. He further stated that monitoring campaigns conducted over the past three months resulted in 157 violations being recorded, leading to the seizure of 65 tonnes of non-compliant and banned pesticides. The Minister announced that efforts are underway to reduce Egypt's chemical pesticide consumption by replacing them with biopesticides, with a goal of reducing use by 50% by 2030. Additionally, the ministry released the 2024 edition of the "Technical Recommendations for Pest Control," distributing over 2,000 copies for free to agricultural cooperatives and making it available online. There is also a continued focus on the National Program for Monitoring Pesticide Residues in Fruits and Vegetables in local markets. Tests are conducted at ministry laboratories to ensure compliance with permissible levels, alongside stricter measures to prevent counterfeiting and smuggling of pesticides, in cooperation with relevant authorities. Farouk noted that the Ministry of Agriculture is intensifying its efforts to implement training and advisory programs to improve the skills of those handling agricultural pesticides across all levels. The aim is to enhance performance and professional development, with plans to increase the number of certified pesticide applicators to 50,000, supervising pesticide use in the agricultural sector. To date, over 25,000 applicators have been trained, improving safe and responsible pesticide use while curbing counterfeiting and safeguarding public health and the environment. He stressed that all these programs aim to improve crop quality, protect public health and the environment, and raise awareness among trainees about the latest technical and scientific developments. This includes understanding modern global guidelines. Farouk also assured ongoing support for the Agricultural Pesticides Committee to promote rational pesticide use and implement integrated pest management strategies. The Minister highlighted that the training plan implemented by the committee aims to restore balance and address the shortage of agricultural extension engineers, pest control specialists, and pesticide regulators. This is achieved by enhancing their skills and fieldwork, creating thousands of genuine job opportunities for young people through 148 training programs this year. Training programs for those involved in the pesticide trade are also providing self-employment for approximately 1,000 agricultural engineers annually, with courses conducted across 16 certified training centres nationwide. Over 7,000 managers responsible for pesticide retail outlets have been certified. Farouk underscored the significance of launching the "Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework," supported by CropLife International, which plays a key role in promoting the International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. The project aims to improve sustainable pesticide management across nine countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with investments exceeding $13m. The initiative seeks to enhance collaboration among stakeholders to protect human health and the environment through responsible pesticide use, reduce reliance on high-risk pesticides (HHPs), and encourage innovation in developing low-toxicity pesticides.
