Amman, Oct. 27 (Petra) – Experts from the three Desert Locust Control Commissions of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened in Amman for a five-day regional workshop aimed at integrating environmental health and safety standards into desert locust control operations.

The workshop, held from October 26 to 30 and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, is jointly organized by the Central, Eastern, and Western Desert Locust Control Commissions in cooperation with FAO.

Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khriesat said the importance of environmental health and safety standards is growing at both national and regional levels due to their critical role in protecting workers and local communities.

He emphasized that such standards are vital for ensuring environmental protection, maintaining the sustainability of agricultural systems, and improving the effectiveness of desert locust control operations Jordan’s first line of defense against one of the most destructive transboundary pests.

Khriesat described the workshop as an important step toward strengthening national and regional capacities to apply unified environmental health and safety procedures during control campaigns, making operations safer, more efficient, and more sustainable.

Mamoun Al-Alawi, Executive Secretary of the Desert Locust Control Commission for the Central Region, said the workshop demonstrates the Commission’s ongoing commitment to promoting safe, effective, and environmentally responsible locust control practices across member states.

He added that incorporating environmental and safety standards into national programs is essential to safeguarding both people and ecosystems while maintaining operational efficiency.

The Commission, in coordination with its counterparts in the Eastern and Western regions and with FAO, will continue to provide technical assistance, training, and regional coordination to help countries adopt and implement these standards, enhancing preparedness and the ability to respond to future locust outbreaks.

FAO Representative in Jordan Nabil Assaf said the event reflects FAO’s strong commitment to helping member countries adopt international standards that protect both human health and the environment.

He noted that strengthening environmental health and safety measures is a cornerstone of sustainable and responsible pest management. FAO, he said, will continue to support governments and regional bodies through capacity-building, knowledge sharing, and the promotion of best practices to ensure effective field operations with minimal environmental impact.

The organizing partners reaffirmed that promoting the concept of *environmentally responsible locust control* has become a central pillar of regional strategies. They noted that the outcomes of the workshop will help advance the adoption of environmental health and safety standards, improve national pesticide management policies, ensure the safe handling of empty containers, and establish national environmental monitoring systems.

The workshop also builds on lessons learned from the unprecedented 2019–2021 desert locust upsurges, which, while successful in protecting crops, underscored the need to balance effective pest control with reducing the health and environmental risks associated with pesticide use.

Participants from member countries are receiving hands-on training on operational guidelines designed to promote a culture of professional and environmental responsibility.

Key technical sessions address topics such as chemical safety, implementation of national health and safety measures, safe storage and transport of pesticides, and proper use of personal protective equipment.

The program also includes environmental monitoring techniques, including both chemical and biological methods such as acetylcholinesterase analysis to track pesticide exposure among field teams. Participants will also be introduced to digital tools like the "Locust Pesticide Management System", an advanced platform supporting the safe and responsible use of pesticides.

The workshop will conclude with a review of sustainable alternatives, such as incorporating biopesticides into preventive control programs as environmentally friendly options to traditional chemicals. It will end with practical field exercises simulating planning, implementation, monitoring, and emergency management to translate theoretical knowledge into practice.

//Petra// AA