Food and Fertilizer Technology Center - About

Rationale:

Agrochemicals play an important role on the efficient and economic production of agricultural products. Major group of agrochemicals are pesticides including herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. Pesticides are part of agrochemicals widely used in most agricultural areas.  The chemicals are used to control pests such as insects, rodents, microorganisms and weeds.  These chemicals are considered safe when used under a limitation level with proper application procedure. Nonetheless many of the produce in markets are still found to contain chemical residues in which lead to more awareness on the effects of residues on consumer health. Some chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Parkinsons, and Alzheimers are reported to have direct or indirect relationships with pesticide exposures and development of diseases.  Climate change also known to be a factor that influences an increasing number of pests, which lead to crop damages. Therefore, a pest control measure either by using pesticides or other alternative measures should be done.  Awareness of the health threats from the increasing use of pesticides and other farm chemicals are on the rise in the Asian and the Pacific region.  This include the consumers’ and the farmers’ health.  Integrated pest management (IPM) and organic farming are alternative choices to move the agrochemical users to avoid or minimize the chemicals used in their production. Moreover, cost of production and competitiveness enhancement with other regular farm produce are also critical. Novel technologies should be more broadly applied to reduce the residues in fresh produce e.g. ozonation, microbubbles, hydrostatic pressure, etc.

Seminar Sessions:

1. Risk Assessment, Monitoring, and Remedial Action

2. Novel Technologies in Practical: Agrochemical Residues Reduction and Food Safety Improvement

3. Analytical Approaches for Agrochemical Determination

4. Key success & Discussion: partial conversion to organic and organic production systems

Objectives:

1. To bring together community leaders, scientists, and policy leaders to promote and enhance programmatic collaborations to more effectively address regional, national and local responses to minimize chemical utilization on crop production and increase organic farming.

2. To create an active network for assessment and monitoring agrochemical utilization and organic farming in Asia especially in the country that plays an important role as global food suppliers. Such information will help the risk-based strategic plan for food safety management. The network will be created and exchanged for information among member using database and website as a key decision tool and organize by an elected network cooperator.