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PESTICIDES AND POVERTY
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AGENDA for Environment and Responsible Development (AGENDA) and Tanzania Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (TPAWU) are implementing a three (3) years project namely “Pesticides and Poverty: Implementing Chemical Conventions for Safe and Just Development” which aims at building capacity and raising awareness among key stakeholders, and bringing them together into a dialogue and action so as to assist the effective implementation of the Chemical Conventions and Processes in Tanzania. This will help to integrate an environmental dimension into national development priorities and promote sustainable livelihoods in rural areas.
The Specific Objectives of the Project are to:
(i) Assist and support the Tanzania government in implementing initiatives for local action (on environment and livelihood priorities) that enhances national regulations, synergism and share experiences nationally and internationally.
(ii) Strengthen national regulatory environments and create new opportunities for collaboration between NGOs and government and other stakeholders to address the detrimental effects of hazardous pesticides.
(iii) Raise awareness of the relevance of local application of international initiatives within the NGO community and civil society
(iv) Demonstrate where sustainable alternatives are available and appropriate to reduce dependence on hazardous pesticides
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INTERNATIONAL POPS ELIMINATION PROJECT (IPEP)
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AGENDA has been selected the Anglophone Africa IPEP Hub. IPEP is a global project that aims to increase the capacity of NGOs in developing countries and countries in economies in transition to play a constructive and effective role in the implementation of the Stockholm Convention on POPs. Increased NGO capacity will, in turn, help increase awareness of POPs and the Stockholm Convention in these countries and enhance their ability to achieve the objectives of the Convention.
This is a two years project, started in May 2004, co-funded by GEF and other agencies. It is under Persistent Organic Pollutants GEF focal area. UNEP and UNIDO are respectively GEF implementing and executing agencies.
The project has established eight Regional Hubs responsible for coordination of the project, each located within an existing NGO in the region. The regions are Anglophone Africa; Central and Eastern Europe; Francophone Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean; Middle East; Russia and the Newly Independent States (NIS); South Asia; and Southeast and East Asia and the Pacific.
The hubs will work with existing public interest NGOs within 5 to 6 countries of the respective region and prepare among others, POPs Country Situation Repots, POPs Hotspot Reports (Contaminated Site and Pattern of Practices), POPs Policy Brief Reports and POPs Regional Reports. Country-based project activities covered by the IPEP include participation in National Implementation Plans (NIPs), training and awareness workshops and informational or public awareness campaigns.
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EGG SAMPLING REPORT
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The International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN), which is a Global Network, working in more than 65 countries is conducting a global bio-monitoring of free-range chicken eggs for unintentionally produced POPs (U-POPs). The project was carried out in 17 countries around the world.
In Tanzania the project was carried out near Vikuge contaminated site, which is one of the most contaminated DDT sites in the world. Eggs were collected in Vikuge village and its surroundings showed elevated levels of dioxins and high levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB). HCB levels were 2-fold higher than the newly proposed limit for HCB as a pesticide residue and were very close to the existing limit for this chemical in eggs. Dioxin levels exceeded background levels by almost 2.5-fold and were slightly higher than the European Union (EU) dioxin limit for eggs. To our knowledge, this study represents the first data about U-POPs in chicken eggs from Tanzania.
The report covers the site history, characteristics, levels of contamination, surrounding environmental components e.g. economic activities within the area, water bodies. This includes the estimation of the contaminated site and extent.
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IPEP HOTSPOT FOR PATTERN OF PRACTICES IN TANZANIA - A case study of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).
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The study focuses on identifying PCBs hotspots; pattern of practices that release or involve the use of PCBs in Tanzania paying particular attention to electrical equipment. This study mentioned activities that release PCBs into the environment in the country. It further revealed that there still existence of PCBs in use or in storage in Tanzania. It is observed that in most of the sites handling and storage of oils that contain or might contain PCBs is very poor and level of awareness among the general public of Tanzania on the adverse effects of PCBs and POPs in general is very low.
Many contaminated sites which need immediate mitigation measure were identified. The source of contamination is due to presence of obsolete equipment in use and/or in storage, and leaking equipment still in use. The use of PCBs especially in electrical equipment has reportedly to caused adverse effects to some workers as a result of improper handling of equipment containing PCBs.
The lack of legislation that control the importation and use of PCBs in the country is the major problem which contribute to the continuation of use of this hazard chemicals. Further research to identify the extent of contamination of the identified sites is needed.
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IPEP HOTSPOT FOR CONTAMINATED SITES IN TANZANIA – A case study of Old Korogwe site.
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The Vice president office conducted a countrywide survey in 2003 to identify the stockpiles of obsolete POPs pesticides where about 300 sites with obsolete pesticides were identified. The study carried by AGENDA focuses on Old Korogwe site with 50 metric tons of DDT stored in an open shed close to one of the tributaries of the Pangani River. The consignments were received in 1980’s, but the stockpiles of obsolete DDT were left in an open air until in 1999 when a shelter was constructed by the National Environmental Management Council (NEMC), to prevent draining of chemicals during rain season. The piles continued to be in an open shed until November 2003 when the store was slightly improved by NEMC by half-fixing the store sides with corrugated iron sheets, leaving the top half open to air. The status is still poor since the package bags have been worn out. Smell of DDT at the nearby area can be felt, an indication of dispersion by wind and vaporization.
The presence of the pesticides has affected some of the traditional activities such as farming, livestock keeping and fishing in the Old Korogwe Village. 60% of the interviewed people complained of irritating smell of the DDT at a distance beyond 100 meters from the site. During windy days the smell could reach as far as 600 meters, the Old Korogwe village is about 500 meters from the site. A number of cases such as death to human and abnormalities to new born animals. The community believes that some adverse health effect as a result of either direct exposure to DDT or through water, vegetables, fish, etc. Further research is needed to establish cause and effect relations between health effects and DDT stocks.
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COMMUNITY MONITORING WORKING GROUP SITE REPORT PROJECT
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AGENDA with the assistance from the IPEN Community Monitoring Working Group is preparing a report for the pesticides contaminated site in Tanzania. One of the most severe cases of potential environmental and health impacts as a result of improper storage of obsolete pesticide in Tanzania is that of Vikuge. Vikuge state farm site is located in Soga Ward, Kibaha District, Coast Region, about 35 km North East of Dar es Salaam City. The report covers the site history, characteristics, levels of contamination, surrounding environmental components e.g. economic activities within the area, water bodies. This includes the estimation of the contaminated site and extent. |
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THE AFRICAN STOCKPILE PROGAMME (ASP)
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Several thousand tonnes of obsolete pesticides have accumulated throughout the African continent over the last four decades. These dangerous chemicals threaten the environment and surrounding communities; often the poorest and most vulnerable, through the contamination of food, water, soil, and air. The objective of the African Stockpiles Programme is to cleanup and safely dispose of all obsolete pesticide stocks from Africa and establish preventive measures to avoid future accumulation. Bringing together the skills, expertise, and resources of a diverse group of stakeholders, the Africa Stockpiles Programme is a strategic partnership that offers a rapid, sustainable solution to this urgent problem. |
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CAMPAIGN ON PARAQUAT AND ENDOSULFAN
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AGENDA and Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Africa are conducting a joint study on the Paraquat and Endosulfan in Tanzania so as to obtain information as detailed as possible about Paraquat and Endosulfan handling, use and its impacts to human health and the environment. Paraquat and Endosulfan are potentially persistent in the environment and thus future candidates for inclusion in Stockholm Convention. The aim of the study is to collect data on the above mentioned chemicals as a global efforts to gage their impacts to human health and environment. The study involves: 1.Collecting information on health and environmental impacts of these two pesticides (Paraquat and Endosulfan); 2.Analysing the conditions of use of both of these products by producers in plantations and small family farms; 3.Search for the available alternatives to Paraquat and Endosulfan and their potential health and environmental impacts.
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Pesticide Ecotoxicology Monitoring: Training of Trainers in Tanzania
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The Training for trainers will be based on a Handbook of Ecological monitoring methods for the assessment of pesticide impacts in the tropics (published by the Centre for Tropical Agriculture) and will aim to enable suitable participants (e.g. representatives from African government agencies, scientists, researchers and appropriately qualified people from NGOs) to train relevant final recipients (from government and agency staff, to community and other interested groups) in methodologies to enable recognition, measurement and monitoring of the environmental effects of pesticides suitable for meeting some goals of the International Conventions relating to pesticides and environment (Stockholm Convention on POPs; Rotterdam Convention on PIC; Rio Convention on Biological Diversity; etc.).
Training will provide an understanding of the complex of issues that need to be addressed in identifying and monitoring environmental effects of pesticides. Participants will learn to understand the principles behind the range of simple field methods that can be used in monitoring the non-target impact of pesticides, have the wherewithal to put them into practice and to teach others to do so. Awareness will be raised of the specific expertise required in completing relevant reporting forms, carrying out a successful monitoring and establishing a valid ecotoxicological monitoring programme.
The proposed dates for the training are 21 August to 1 September 2006 and limited funds and chances are available
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Health: training of trainers in pesticides and community monitoring
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Monitoring and recording the impacts of pesticide use on health by communities and pesticide users raises awareness of the hazards of pesticide usage and provides a personal relevance that is the best motivator to drive change.
The training will be held in Tanzania and hosted by AGENDA, and is expected to last ten days. Expenses will be covered. It will involves NGOs which are participating in the implementation of ASP and activities to prevent the build up of future obsolete stockpiles.
The objectives of the training of trainers are:
1. to increase capacity to train others in carrying out community health monitoring
2. to enable those participating to carry out a community health monitoring programme, and a budget is available to implement this monitoring activity at a convenient time.
3. to influence the international agenda. Some funds are available for a number of participants to attend a relevant international meeting and present the findings from community monitoring
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