Pre-Inception Webinar:  Asia Pesticide Residue Mitigation through the Promotion of Biopesticides and for Enhancement of Trade Opportunities – Start Up

Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 16:00 hrs (Bangkok)

Developing countries frequently encounter market access obstacles related to compliance with international trade standards, and there is very little support or specific strategies provided to address this problem. The overall goal of the project is to facilitate trade by preventing MRL violations that result from pesticide residues on agricultural commodities, and by promoting appropriate use of biopesticides. The project will therefore develop a process for identifying and prioritizing residue trade barriers, then establishing a methodology for mitigating those barriers, coordinated regionally and for global markets.  This process will aim to increase understanding and compliance with Codex MRLs, ensuring growers access to important export markets.  Furthermore, through this process, biopesticide availability can increase, the costs and barriers to biopesticide availability can decrease. This will also contribute to broader development goals of improved human and environmental health, such as reducing risk to consumers, pesticide applicators, and the environment. Therefore, this project aims to contribute to the higher development goals of poverty reduction and economic growth, through delivery of technical capacities and functional (soft) skills, as a means to achieve these higher-level development goals.