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Safer Pesticides

Biopesticides are recognised as a safe, toxic-residue-free alternative to chemicals and the need for more development in their use for the prevention of pest damage to crops has been recognised by experts attending an international biopesticides workshop in Auckland.

The participants recognised the role of applied microbiology for the enhancement of environmental sustainability and called for a regional, co-operative approach to research on biopesticides and bioremediation. The two-day workshop was sponsored by the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, the UNESCO Regional Network for Microbiology and Microbial Biotenchnology in Southeast Asia, and HortResearch.

They agreed that pesticide pollution of foodstuffs is a regional issue that cannot be resolved without a concerted effort by the countries of the Asia/Pacific region. They recognised the potential of biocontrol and proposed that a regional initiative to biopesticides development be supported by the regional governments.

"In the interests of a clean regional environment, the New Zealand government needs to declare biopesticide research as a key development strategy, and to encourage co-operative research in the Asia/Pacific region," says Dr Chris Hale, a microbiologist with HortResearch and a member of the co-ordinating board of the UNESCO Regional Network.

Following on from the workshop, a Biopesticides Network has now been established in New Zealand to accelerate research on alternative green technologies to chemical pesticides and to overcome institutional barriers to scientific developments. The network will interact closely with a similar network being established under the auspices of UNESCO in Southeast Asia.