Five governments to curb agriculture’s toxic impacts

• Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam have joined forces to reduce environmental impact of agricultural sector
• Highly hazardous pesticides and plastic waste from agriculture release toxic persistent organic pollutants into environment, also harming human health
• US $ 379mn initiative will realign financial incentives to prevent use of harmful inputs in food production

The governments of Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, the Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam have come together to launch a US $ 379 million initiative to combat pollution from the use of pesticides and plastics in agriculture, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said.
Chemicals play a crucial role in farming, with nearly four billion tonnes of pesticides and 12 billion kilogrammes of agricultural plastics used every year.

Despite their benefits for food yields, these chemicals pose significant risks to human health and the environment. As many as 11,000 people die from the toxic effects of pesticides annually and chemical residues can degrade ecosystems, diminishing soil health and farmers’ resilience to climate change. The opening burning of agricultural plastics also contributes to an air pollution crisis that causes one in nine deaths worldwide.

Highly hazardous pesticides and mismanaged agricultural plastics release toxic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) – chemicals, which don’t break down in the environment and contaminate air, water and food. These inputs are generally cheaper than the sustainable alternatives, giving farmers little incentive to adopt better practices.

The Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management Programme (FARM), led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), seeks to change that, elaborating the business case for banks and policymakers to reorient policy and financial resources towards farmers to help them adopt low and non-chemical alternatives to toxic agrochemicals and facilitate a transition towards better practices.

The five-year programme is projected to prevent over 51,000 tonnes of hazardous pesticides and over 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste from being released, while avoiding 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions and protecting over three million hectares of land from degradation, as farms and farmers convert to low-chemical and non-chemical alternatives.
"Our current agricultural system relies on harmful chemicals. This is not necessary. FARM offers a powerful alternative model, empowering farmers with the knowledge and resources to transition to sustainable practices that safeguard our health and environment and also boost yields and profits,” said GEF Chemicals Coordinator Anil Sookdeo.

To do this, the FARM programme will support government regulation to phase out POPs-containing agrochemicals and agri-plastics and adopt better management standards, while strengthening banking, insurance and investment criteria to improve the availability of effective pest control, production alternatives and trade in sustainable produce.
“Food productivity and safety is reliant on identifying better practices and safer alternatives to highly hazardous pesticides,” UNEP Industry and Economy Division Director Sheila Aggarwal-Khan said.

“Adoption is key to scaling these alternatives. There is no real option other than a strong, coordinated response to the pollution crisis.”
The FARM launch event convened representatives from all seven countries, with over 100 partners and stakeholders directly involved in the programme, including public and private banks, policymakers, farmer cooperatives, agrochemical and plastic manufacturers, international organisations, civil society, academia and retailers.
It marks a step change in collaborative efforts between governments, financial institutions, farmers and manufacturers to combat agricultural pollution, paving the way for a more equitable and resilient food system.  

The FARM programme is a US $ 379 million, five-year initiative to combat agrochemical pollution. Funded by the GEF, the programme is led by the UNEP, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and African Development Bank. Participating countries include Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, the Philippines, Uruguay and Vietnam.

The GEF is a multilateral fund dedicated to confronting biodiversity loss, climate change, pollution and strains on land and ocean health. Its grants, blended financing and policy support helps developing countries address their biggest environmental priorities and adhere to international environmental conventions. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than US $ 24 billion in financing and mobilised another US $ 138 billion for more than 5,700 national and regional projects.