SADC (Southern African Development Community) Guidelines for Pesticides Management and Risk Reduction.

These Guidelines on Pesticide Management and Risk Reduction developed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and consisting of 21 articles provide (i) an opportunity for the region to take a harmonized approach to register, authorize, use and control pesticide, formulations and products; (ii) a mechanism to safeguard humans, animals and environmental integrity; (iii) for regional collaboration and harmonization on pesticide management and risk reduction; (iv) a step-wise approach to manage pesticides using a holistic approach from production to disposal making it possible to address issues of pesticides risk management and risk reduction. Further objectives of this Guidelines as provided for at article 2 are to (a) enhance Member States’ implementation of the FAO/WHO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management (2015); (b) enhance national and regional technical capacity to implement and monitor pesticide use including promoting greater use of international standards and other matters concerning pesticide management; (c) provide a regional mechanism for addressing, risk management and risk reduction in the usage of pesticides. To this end, Member States are encouraged to establish harmonized classification systems of pesticide products (art.4b). Article 6 deals with the alignment of Member States legislation with the FAO/WHO Guidelines on Pesticide Legislation (provided in Supplement 1) in terms of (i) pesticide life cycle; (ii) types of pesticides and their use; (iii) criteria of acceptable risk to protect vulnerable groups, especially children, from pesticide exposures; (iv) risk reduction measures concerning gender matters; (v) regulatory and administrative measures. Member States are also encouraged to ensure that pesticides are registered (i) responding to a national registration scheme; (ii) by a designated authority; (iii) meeting the approved criteria listed in art.8. As regards the licensing system, it has to be (i) in accordance with the FAO/WHO Guidelines on Pesticide Legislation; (ii) in force for importation, distribution and sales (except for household products), manufacturing, formulation, packaging or re-packaging, storage, special uses, and commercial pest control.
Member States are encouraged to (i) adopt the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) for the hazard classification of pesticides (more stricter rules are provided for Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs) at article 13); (ii) adopt pesticides Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) established by Codex Alimentarius; (iii) establish MRLs if not available in the country; (iv) ensure that designated authorities undertake surveillance, monitoring, data collection, and share information among themselves; (v) take measures to protect workers and vulnerable groups from health effects linked to exposures to pesticides.