US embassy cable - 03ROME3740

UNCLAS  ROME 003740 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
AIDAC 
FROM U.S. MISSION IN ROME 
 
AMEMBASSY MAPUTO FOR AMBASSADOR WILKINSON AND USAID DIRECTOR 
KNOTT 
AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA FOR AMBASSADOR BRAZEAL AND USAID 
DIRECTOR LEWELLEN 
AMEMBASSY DAR-ES-SALAAAM FOR AMBASSADOR ROYALL AND USAID 
DIRECTOR KIRKLAND 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLESTON AND USAID 
DIRECTOR WHITE 
STATE FOR IO/EDA 
USAID FOR AA/AFR, DCHA/FFP/D LANDIS, DCHA/OFDA/D MCCONNELL 
USDA/FAS FOR CHAMBLISS 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID, EAGR, PREF, WFP, UN 
SUBJECT:  FAO's Efforts to Eliminate Obsolete Pesticides in 
Sub-Saharan Africa 
 
REF: (A) STATE 68866 
 
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Summary 
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1. Obsolete pesticides pose a serious impediment to 
sustainable development and can cause human health problems. 
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United 
Nations established the Africa Stockpiles Program (ASP) as a 
long-term effort to identify, transport, and eliminate 
obsolete pesticides from the African continent.  The U.S. 
Mission Rome endorses FAO's ASP initiative and encourages 
USAID Missions in targeted African countries to consider 
their active support.  End summary. 
 
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Discussion 
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2. Active support might take the form of consultations with 
host government and FAO counterparts, cooperative 
agreements, or grants.  Monetary support might include 
leveraging a U.S. Dollar (USD) 25 million fund from the 
Global Environmental Facility (GEF) that requires co- 
financing or contributing to a multi-lateral trust fund 
established by the World Bank. 
 
3. The ASP in Ethiopia builds on the considerable work 
already accomplished by the Government, FAO, and the other 
stakeholders such as Crop Life International.  The Ethiopia 
work is fully funded, in large part because of the early USD 
one million contribution from USAID that helped to initiate 
it.  Phase 1 of the project is complete, with 1500 tons of 
pesticide waste shipped.  Phase 2 will clear the remaining 
1500 tons and implement a wide-ranging prevention program. 
 
4. In Tanzania, FAO plans to train staff on how to take 
inventories and safeguard obsolete pesticides beginning in 
October.  This effort follows the identification of about 
1000 tons of obsolete pesticides and 200 tons of veterinary 
waste scattered over 325 sites about 6 years ago.  An update 
of the inventory and safeguarding of high-risk sites will 
follow the planned training.  This will be a preliminary 
activity to a pesticide cleanup and prevention project 
budgeted at USD 8.25 million of which approximately USD 3.5 
has been raised. 
 
5. In Mali, a project management unit is being established 
which will complete an inventory using funds administered by 
PASAOP, a rural development initiative.  Additional funds to 
eliminate stockpiles and remediate high-risk contaminated 
sites would be welcome. 
 
6. In Mozambique, a newly appointed FAO chief technical 
officer is beginning a new inventory, including an 
assessment of the cost of cleanup.  The prospective agenda 
would also include reviewing pesticide legislation and 
conducting a needs assessment regarding activities such as 
integrated pest management.  At the end of the project, say 
in 12 months, a proposal will be developed and a donor 
meeting held. 
 
7. In Eritrea, FAO has begun an assessment based on a 
Government request.  Accordingly, funds will be required to 
carry out an inventory of obsolete stocks before the end of 
the year, and there will be a need to design and implement a 
disposal project. 
 
8. In South Africa, NEPAD will host an ASP meeting in 
September.  Among other topics, the meeting will provide an 
opportunity to confer with the many stakeholders to explore 
strategies and devise possible solutions to the obsoleteDDIS ABABA FOR 
AMBASSADOR BRAZEAL AND USAID 
DIRECTOR LEWELLEN 
AMEMBASSY DAR-ES-SALAAAM FOR AMBASSADOR ROYALL AND USAID 
DIRECTOR KIRKLAND 
AMEMBASSY BAMAKO FOR AMBASSADOR HUDDLESTON AND USAID 
DIRECTOR WHITE 
STATE FOR IO/EDA 
USAID FO 
 
 
pesticide problem in South Africa. 
 
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Conclusion 
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9. FAO's ASFP provides an opportunity for USAID Missions to 
develop collaborative strategies with FAO to rid dangerous 
and unwanted pesticides from their host countries. 
 
10. Because of widely varying pesticide amounts, locations, 
storage characteristics, and remediation requirements, the 
ASP is highly complex.  FAO, the UN's premier agricultural 
science agency, is uniquely positioned to coordinate the 
resources and tasks necessary to rid Africa of unwanted 
pesticides within the foreseeable future. 
 
11. Accordingly, the US Mission Rome encourages USAID 
Missions in targeted African countries to consider 
supporting FAO's ASP.  Berton 
 
 
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	2003ROME03740 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED