Registration of biopesticides in Pakistan
Agriculture is extremely important to Pakistan’s economy and people. It is the largest sector, employing over 40% of the workforce and contributing approximately 24% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the increase in demand for food is being challenged by low agricultural productivity due to losses caused by crop pests and diseases. To overcome these problems, there is an overreliance on pesticides which have caused food safety issues due to excessive pesticide residues. Pakistan is therefore focusing on sustainable pest management and ecosystem conservation. Working with CABI and partners, Pakistan has approved biopesticide registration guidelines to promote environmentally friendly pest control products.
Project Overview
So, what’s the problem
Pakistan’s growing population is predicted to double to 403 million people by 2050, and so there will be an increase in demand for food. However, the production of food is being hampered by a range of crop pests and diseases causing crop losses.
In order to manage crop pests and diseases, there is an overreliance on pesticides. The pesticide market is currently valued at over $300 million and is expected to rise to $500 million over the next five years.
However, where there is overuse of pesticides, there are also other concerns, for example, including around food safety issues from excessive pesticide residues, and the risks to human health and the environment. High aflatoxin levels found in key crops such as maize, chillies and cotton are also affecting export compliance.
What is this project doing?
In Pakistan, the aim is to integrate more sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches into pest management which includes biopesticides.
CABI has worked with the Pakistan Government’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research and the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) to develop biopesticide regulation guidance to further improve the quality of food produced and to mitigate trade-related issues.
CABI’s work falls under the PlantwisePlus Pesticide Risk Reduction pathway which recognizes the urgent need to increase the uptake of lower-risk plant protection products by farmers. It is focused on raising awareness of, access to, and use of affordable integrated pest management solutions.
Results
Following extensive consultations, CABI led a team of biopesticide experts from the USDA and PARC who jointly developed a national registration guidance document. This document was submitted by CABI to the DPP for incorporation into its regulatory system in July 2020. After various consultation sessions and reviews led by the DPP, the document was approved by technical committees in November 2023 and in January 2024 by a Legislative Committee.
The approved biopesticide registration guidelines align with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) standards to promote environmentally friendly pest control.
To help advance the registration of biopesticides, CABI and the DPP convened a training workshop with partners in July 2024 to enhance the understanding and capacity of stakeholders involved in the biopesticide registration process in Pakistan.
International biocontrol manufacturers are being encouraged to register their biopesticides for use in Pakistan to help tackle the pests and diseases affecting the country’s major crops including wheat, cotton, rice, maize and sugarcane. Some of the pests and diseases which hamper crop productivity include cotton bollworm and whiteflies, apple codling moth and spider mites on apple, papaya mealybug and tomato leafminer.
For more information on registering a product, please email the DPP.
Project Manager
Sabyan Faris Honey
Deputy Director Business Development
CABI, Opposite 1-A, Data Ganj Bakhsh Road, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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