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The Executive Committee (ExCO) of CropLife Ghana (CLG) in collaboration with Croplife Africa Middle East (CLAME) held Capacity Workshop on Ghana‘s pesticides laws and regulations and Pesticides law enforcement strategies.
Mr. Lovelace Sarpong from the Ashanti regional office of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explained that, Counterfeiting is a dangerous and growing problem for all industries, including the plant science industry. He said Counterfeiting of plant science products brings to bear a range of negative effects to farmers, manufacturers, national economies, and the environment alike.
He disclosed that, the effect of counterfeiting is that it could eliminate the incentive for plant science companies to continue to invest considerable time and money in the development of new technologies that can help assure domestic and global food security and alleviate hunger and poverty.
He said CropLife Africa Middle East (CLAME) and its national associations and other stakeholders are taking a stand against the trade in illegal and counterfeit pesticides to protect farmers and crops across the globe.
He indicated that, the workshop has been carefully planned to build the capacity of selected staff of the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) of the Attorney General’s (AG) department and the media on Ghana‘s pesticides laws and regulations and Pesticides law enforcement strategies and prosecution process in Ghana and creation of public awareness.
He reiterated that, the workshop was been organized by CropLife Ghana (CLG) in collaboration with Croplife Ghana Africa Middle East (CLAME), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Service Department (PPRSD) of the Ministry for Food and Agriculture (MoFA)
Bama Yao, Regional Director, West and Central Africa CropLife Africa Middle East, also underscored that, CropLife Africa Middle East (CLAME) is not-for-profit organization representing the leading global manufacturers of pesticides seeds, and biotechnology products in Africa and the Middle East.
He expressed the hope that, with their national associations, CLAME is the voice and advocate for the plant science industry contributing yo sustainable, innovative and science-based crop protection solutions to keep crops healthy and sustainable food supply.
He disclosed that, their aim is to help make the most of plant science’s great potential to improve sustainable agriculture, raise awareness and build understanding of the benefits of plant science in other to becomes increasingly accepted and supported by their stakeholders and promote the responsible and sustainable use of plant science technology.
Mr. Samuel Oteng, the Ashanti regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) stressed that the laws and regulations in Act 490 guiding against illegal pesticides is long overdue since 1996.
He said the Manufacturing, Distributing, Wholesaling and retailing, exporting or importing of pesticides needs to be register or environmental permit before one could engage in such a businesses.
He disclosed that, the EPA has being educating farmers as to how to identified the right pesticides in other not to end up negatively affecting their crops and lives
He said the registration is in specifics and when goes contrary to the specifics in accordance with the law your shop would be close down.
He said a person below eight years is not allow to be a shop keeper of pesticides either the law allows them to sell or buy pesticides, as the EPA is monitoring, the packaging, loading and the transportation from one place to another destinations of pesticides
