Farm Service Centers Host Ethiopia’s First Pesticide Applicators’ Training
The Commercial Farm Service Program (CFSP), implemented by CNFA and funded by USAID, held the country’s first Pesticide Applicators’ Training with the aim to increase the awareness of the dangers of pesticides and to enable professional or semi-professional agronomists to become Government of Ethiopia certified pesticide applicators. The use of improved agricultural inputs has been promoted in Ethiopia to combat the common problem of crop loss – one category of these inputs is pesticides. However, while the use of pesticides has been promoted, there are many dangers that can result from the misuse of these products.
In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Oromia Bureau of Agriculture and CropLife Ethiopia, CFSP organized the top professionals in pesticide use and handling in Ethiopia to compile a 15-module, three week training course in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. “When the program came with the proposal to conduct applicator training, our office approved and ensured its collaboration in every way possible,” said W/o Hiwot Lemma, the director of the Plant Protection Directorate at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture during the opening of the training. The program helped the trainees understand the standards for safe handling and safe application of pesticides. Those who successfully completed the training are now expected to train farmers and pesticide dealers in addition to providing services as a newly certified pesticide applicator.
Such applicators are in a high demand in the country as they are able to render environmentally sound pesticide application services to farmers in collaboration with the CFSP-established Farm Service Centers (FSCs). For more information about CFSP, click here.
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