QUESTION OF: Preventing and Minimizing Damage from Pests and Plagues

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ISSUE: 3

QUESTION OF: Preventing and minimizing damage from pests and plagues

CO-SUBMITTERS: Finland, India, Qatar, Japan, Yemen, Panama, Amnesty International, Burkina Faso

THE SPECIAL CONFERENCE,

Deeply concerned that damages caused by pests and plagues can have serious repercussions on food supply and human health,

Stressing that the Millennium Development Goals aim at, among other things, combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (Goal 6), and that to end hunger and poverty (Goal 1) and to protect the environment (Goal 7) appropriate pest management policies are needed with regard both to fighting harmful insects and to making and using pesticides properly,

Bearing in mind that damage caused by plagues and pests often become international cross-boundary issues which require an international solution,

Deeply consciousof the fact that more than 75% of the economical revenue and the majority of income in developed countries is produced by agriculture,

Noting with deep concern that the population is not aware of the existing damage and the existing problems,

Awarethat an important priority for the UN is to make sureand to guarantee improvement of national and international veterinarian and plant health to prevent and minimize the damage of pests,

Affirming that we should improve plant health and state the things we can do, includingimproving the capacity of including infrastructures and border controls, passing better legislation, and implementing enforcement and better surveillance,

Acknowledgingthat all countries need to ensure their national veterinarian and agricultural policies prevent and minimize the damage of pests and plagues,

Noting with satisfaction the Emergency Prevention System for Trans-boundary Animal and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) set up in 1994 to deal with trans-boundary pests and plagues as a means to ensure food security worldwide,

Taking into consideration of the five million euro donation by the European Commission to help farmers maintain crop diversity,

Recalling the event held by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the

International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to protect vulnerable groups from exposure to pesticides,

Congratulatingthe FAO for their success in finding an answer for the decontamination of soil,

1. Endorsesthe adoption of notification mechanisms, which require local administrations and private farmers to report necessary information to the central government about cases of pest diffusion, and that appropriate pest management policies be implemented in order to fight insects while avoiding excessive or inadequate use of pesticides;

1. Proposes that new national and international programmes and common guidelines be adopted to cope with health emergences, such as novel influenza, and various health crises due to conflict and disaster, with the participation of relevant ministries and local government;

1. Strongly recommendsthat all countries contact, in case of uncontrolled outbreak of pest or plague in order to avoid damage, the FAO Emergency Prevention System at one of their branches:
2. EMPRES Animal Healthfor animal diseases, including those of aquatic animals,
3. EMPRES Plant Protectionfor plant pests and diseases, including desert locust and forest plant pests and diseases;

1. Invites all countries to collaborate with EMPRES, as it has proven to be more cost effective and helpful, by:
2. Donating money,
3. Sending people to cooperate,
4. Offering any other means countries can permit;

1. Urgesthe introduction of predators of the existing pest species to successfully and rapidly eliminate them, avoiding however:
2. The introduction of a new plague,
3. Negative effects on the region’s ecosystem,
4. Losing control of the species introduced;

1. Proposesthat Member States develop strategic partnership with international and domestic entities, including the private sector, with the aim of increasing funding to prevent and fight diseases, and of ensuringfree or low cost supply of medical treatments;

1. Further encouragesMember States to research the development of advances in crop biotechnology to produce crops with higher yields, higher nutritional content, and tolerance to pests and plagues;

1. InvitesMember States to ratify agreements with industries for a wider production and distribution of mosquito nets against malaria;

1. Suggests that laws and regulations give adequate protection to the use, sale and distribution of generic drugs to cure diseases, and not to erect unnecessary barriers to the marketing of unpatented drugs;
   
2. Insists that all Member States take a proactive approach to pest and plague disaster management and promote policies aimed at prevention and preparedness among individuals and institutions;

1. Strongly encouragesall Member Statesto create information mechanisms to make their population aware of the catastrophic effects of pests;

1. Calls uponthe establishment of an educational program for minors to informthem about these problems;

1. Recommendsthat all Member States follow the instructions of the International code of Conduct on the Distribution and the use of Pesticides;

1. Decides to be actively seized in the matter.