NIPHM organises international training on Management of Pesticides

Hyderabad: National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM) is organising a two weeks international training program on Management of Pesticides and their Residues for the Protection of Food Crops in collaboration with ITEC from August 21 to September 3.

A total of 23 participants from 14 ITEC partner countries are participating in the program. The objective of the program is to impart knowledge on the regulations and proper management of pesticides and their residues for sustainable agriculture. The program was inaugurated by Dr Sagar Hanuman Singh, Director General, NIPHM on August 21. The training is being organized under the aegis of The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC), a flagship program of the Indian Government’s capacity building efforts.

ITEC was launched by Ministry of External Affairs in 1964 and is considered as a vehicle to share the fruits of India’s socio-economic development and technological achievement with Global South countries. NIPHM has been partnering with ITEC since 2018 in conducting training programs in various subjects of sustainable agricultural practices such as plant health approaches, plant biosecurity and food safety, mass production and quality control of biopesticides, management of pesticides and so on.

During the inauguration Dr SH Singh had highlighted the impact of increased use of chemical pesticides on Soil, Water and food commodities which will adversely impact the Plant, Animal and Human health due to their toxicity. He further highlighted that the excess use of chemical pesticides will adversely impact the soil, ground water as well as other pathways through which chemical pesticides will enter into the food chain.

He underlined that there is growing understanding among the farmers about the need to reduce the use of chemical inputs like fertilizers and pesticides and that the Government of India has also initiated programmes of organic as well as natural farming. He hoped that this training programme will throw light on existing protocols in the areas of the pesticide residues in food commodities and will also provide inputs to the international trainees from the Global South Countries to learn about the alternatives to chemical pesticides in food production. He also hoped that these international participants will use this training programme as a forum to exchange their best agricultural and plant protection practices for the benefit of cross learning.

During their stay at NIPHM, the International Officers will also get an opportunity to experience the cultural diversity and cosmopolitan nature of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.