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During the week of 29th July, CropLife Africa Middle East recently organized a four-day Training of Trainers (ToT) course on the safe and effective use of agricultural pesticides in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and AMATPA, in Jordan. The course was hosted by Syngenta Jordan at its research station and attended by representatives from both the Ministry of Agriculture and the private sector.

The training kickoff was opened in the presence of Abdelmoneim Bakr, MENA Regional Director CL AME, Eng. Loay Baybars, Chairman of AMATPA, and Eng. Emad Alawad, Director of the Plant Health Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, Jordan.

At the end of the training, certificates of attendance were distributed to the trainees, and the Syngenta team received a trophy from Abdelmoneim Bakr in recognition of their effective
contribution to this initiative.

This program aimed to raise awareness among government and private sector workers about the critical importance of safely applying agricultural pesticides while ensuring the safety of workers, the environment, and our food supply.

Together, we’re creating a healthier and safer agricultural environment!

Thrilled to have participated in the Food Safety and Nutrition Summit in Doha, Qatar, last week! A partnership between USDA, GCC Standardization Organization, AmCham Dubai, and Qatar Ministry of Public Health, the Summit sought to advance understanding and collaboration on joint areas of interest in food safety and nutrition for the United States and governments of the Arabian Gulf. As an agronomist and CEO of CropLife AME, it is always rewarding to listen to diverse perspectives and to learn from various stakeholders on the vital topic of food safety!

I was delighted to provide a presentation on the topic of “Solutions to transition towards sustainable food systems while contributing to food security, health, and trade in the Africa Middle East region” and in a panel discussion on “Best Practices for Pesticides Residues in Food”

It is incredibly promising to witness the strong commitment from the US and GCC Countries to prioritize food safety in exports and to maintain trade, which is a cornerstone of food security. It was also very exciting to see convergence among all stakeholders on the following key elements, among others:

– The need to uphold evidence and science-based SPS Agreement and Codex Alimentarius
– Fostering regulatory harmonization
The need to create a conducive trade environment
– Learning from other jurisdictions with discernment and tailoring solutions locally is crucial – but efforts must be made to localize decisions
– Fostering intra-regional trade is essential for growth and development
– Promoting legislative environment for innovations
– Building local capacities, such as labs
– Public-private partnerships are key to driving progress and innovation.

I also took the opportunity to share insights on CropLife’s Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework, emphasizing the fact that such program is successful thanks to the collaboration across the food value chain and a local approach for success.

Thank you to the organizers for inviting me! Moving forward, I am excited to collaborate with stakeholders to progress sustainable agriculture, enhance food productivity, ensure food safety, and foster trade opportunities. hashtag#sustainability.

On May 20th to 22nd, 2024, Director of Stewardship, Evelyn Lusenaka, attended the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Ministerial Meeting on Inter-Regional Platform for Desert Locust and other Transboundary Pests Control Management’s Technical Steering Committee hosted by IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre, a Regional Climate Centre of Excellence (ICPAC). The meeting brought together Ministers of Agriculture from IGAD’s 8 member states, Directors of Agriculture, and Heads of Plant Protection. Additionally, participants from research organizations such as CABI and ICIPE attended. Desert Locust Control of EA, a regional pest and vector management organization established by an International Convention, was also present at the event.

The agenda of the three-day meeting focused on the regulatory framework, adoption and use of biopesticides by the 8 member states for the control of Desert Locusts and other Transboundary Pests, development of regulatory and best management guidelines for drone use in desert locusts and other transboundary pests, and stewardship practices, especially in the management of empty pesticide containers and obsolete stocks.

The event provided a valuable opportunity to deepen discussions on desert locust control and other transboundary threats. It also explored avenues for further collaboration and networking with key stakeholders in the region. A training session for the 8 member states is being organised in the coming months, with CropLife AME supporting training on Safe Pesticide Management & Disposal of Waste Containers, obsolete stocks, and capacity building on biopesticides.

On 6 May, Stella, represented CropLife Africa Middle East (AME), in a Bench marking workshop organized by the EAC in Nairobi, Kenya, focusing on the implementation of the Online Pesticides Registration System (OPRS), under pilot in Kenya’s by the Pest Control Products Board. This a result of the successful collaborative work coordinated by the EAC Secretariat towards establishment of a digitalized process for registration of pest control products and other related services in Partner States as part of the harmonization agenda.

As CropLife Africa Middle East (AME), we applaud the efforts of all the partners; USDA, University of Missouri’s AFSI program , CLAME, EAC partner states and EAC secretariat for the dedication on the project. Together with the partners in the project, we look forward to the roll out in other EAC PS.

Earlier this year, CL AME played a significant role supporting the introduction of an e-submission platform for pesticides registration in Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, under the leadership of the Ethiopian Agricultural Authority.

During the week of 6 May, Evelyn Lusenaka – Stewardship Director – and Bakr Abdelmoneim – MENA regional director – visited Cairo, Egypt, to support CropLife Egypt on structuring the Sustainable Pesticides Management Framework (SPMF) strategy.

The official launch of SPMF in Egypt is scheduled for Q4 2024, following its introduction in Kenya in 2021 and Morocco in 2022.

The discussions primarily revolved around the three core principles of the SPMF: 1. Decreasing dependence on Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs); 2. Promoting innovation; 3. Encouraging responsible and safe use of pesticides

In addition, Evelyn, Bakr, and CropLife Egypt utilized this opportunity to engage with key stakeholders in Egypt, exploring potential partnerships for executing the SPMF, such as with the Agricultural Export Council, the Chamber of Food Industries, QCAP laboratory and the National Food Safety Authority.

A big congratulations to the dedicated team at CropLife Egypt for commencing the implementation of SPMF. Keep an eye out for the official launch of the SPMF in our third regional country!