THE EAST AFRICA PESTICIDE NETWORK: LESSONS LEARNED

Abstract

ISEE-130 Introduction: South-South collaborations expand the range of transfer of skills and facilitate the dissemination of information relevant for developing countries. Such collaborations can consist of networks, joint meetings, southern journals and bulletins, and collaborative research and training. The East Africa Pesticide Network (EAPN) was a collaborative research project involving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The lessons learned through the EAPN could be a building block for future networks in Africa. Aim: The EAPN set out to characterize and document pesticide exposures and poisonings in East Africa. This report describes the activities, benefits and policy implications of this collaboration. Methods: The EAPN study complied with a standard protocol developed jointly by the partners. The responsible research institutes were the Kenya Medical Research Institute, also assigned the task of regional coordination; the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute, Tanzania, with the regional responsibility for chemical analyses; and the Occupational Hygiene and Health Department, Ministry of Labour, Uganda, assigned the task of data analysis. Besides the regional roles, the study was uniformly conducted in the three countries. This review of the process and impacts draws on reports generated by project participants. Results: The study compiled data on the pesticides available in East Africa up to 1990 and identified hazardous practices in specific areas. The extent and intensity of organophosphate exposure, associations between external exposure, exposure biomarkers and symptoms and use of protective equipment were assessed. The knowledge of service providers in the prevention and treatment of adverse effects of pesticides and strategies for reduction and control of exposure to pesticides and prevention of poisoning in Tanzania were assessed and discussed. The principal investigators in Kenya and Tanzania obtained higher degrees at MSc and PhD levels, using the data generated through the project. A critical mass of researchers was generated in a region with little pre-existing infrastructure for pesticide safety. Lessons learned: Existing regulatory systems were ineffective and poorly equipped. Pesticide poisoning data was scanty and unreliable. Pesticide knowledge was inadequate at all levels. The EAPN laid a foundation for the initiation of networks that will follow up its findings with interventions. A number of oversights hindered the smooth running of the EAPN. They included too many assumptions, particularly in expertise, equipment requirements, supplies and workload. Conclusion: Poisoning data were deficient due to lack of expertise and material resources. Consolidating the South-South collaboration initiated by the EAPN would enhance risk identification, communication and management, through studies that combine economic, epidemiological, technical, chemical and anthropological expertise. We propose participatory research involving researchers and farmers, to identify the pesticide risks in agricultural operations and structural constraints inhibiting the curtailing of toxic exposures. Follow-up studies of the extent and public health impact of pesticides and evaluations of interventions represent another priority.