Agricultural Pesticides Law

The Law, which is based on the principles 4 and 5 of Afghanistan’s Constitution, sets general provisions on agricultural pesticides. The Law consists of 30 articles, divided into six Chapters; General Provisions (I); Duties and Authorities (II); Permit (III); Pesticides Registration (IV); Protective Measures(V); Miscellaneous Provisions (VI). The main objectives of the Law include: to control manufacture, importation, supply, transport, storage, and use of agricultural pesticides; to prevent the danger of pesticides for human, animal and plants' health; to protect the environment from adverse effects of pesticides; to dispose of the agricultural waste safely. The Law establishes an Agricultural Pesticides Committee for the efficient implementation of these provisions. The Committee is responsible to approve the quality of the pesticides for registration, prepare the list of allowed and prohibited pesticides, provide consultancy for proper use of agricultural pesticides, and to determine the safe methods for elimination of the unusable pesticides. Any production, importation, exportation, transport, storage, supply and sale of agricultural pesticides are only possible with a permit issued by the Committee. Any pesticide, which is produced in or imported to the country, should be registered within the Committee. However, in an emergency situation and in the pests' outbreak, the Department of Plant Protection and Quarantine may allow the use of unregistered pesticides for a short period of time. The Agricultural Pesticides Committee may prohibit the use of any pesticide which is dangerous for human and animal health or the environment.