4 February 2014: The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it has approved the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN’s (FAO) recently revised International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management. The Code of Conduct is a voluntary framework that calls on countries to identify and, where necessary, remove from use highly hazardous pesticides.

The Code highlights the importance of protecting people both by legislation and by practical actions. Emphasizing the need to minimize pesticide use, the Code of Conduct recommends the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in agriculture and Integrated Vector Management (IVM) in public health. These broad-based approaches use measures to discourage the development of pest populations, and to reduce or minimize risks to human health and the environment. It also emphasizes the need for further action to eliminate pesticide poisoning and biodiversity loss, including pollinators, and highlights concerns about food contamination with pesticide residues.

The Code of Conduct will be used by FAO and WHO as a guiding framework, and both organizations intend to work closely with other UN partners, the private sector and civil society to raise awareness and build capacity for effective implementation of the Code of Conduct. [IISD RS Sources] [Publication: International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management]