Sustainable Pesticide Governance in Vegetable and Commercial Flower Farms of Ethiopia

Belay Tizazu Mengistie  is a PhD candidate at the Environmental Policy Group. His research focuses on Sustainable Pesticide Governance in vegetable and flower farms of Ethiopia under PRRP project, a pilot project for Africa. The most important stage of his academic career before start of PhD studies was when he undertook a masters thesis research on Challenges and Opportunities of Adoption of Improved Agricultural Technologies /Innovations. Moreover, he taught as a lecturer in the last five years in various topics of development studies: on the issue of development policies and strategies, sustainable livelihood, agricultural development and the rural poor, geographic and environmental courses.

Sustainable growth of the agricultural sector and protection of human health and the environment require effective management of pesticides. Although, the Ethiopian government should play an important role in this regard, it has failed to do so in many instances. Scientific research on pesticide governance and its shortcomings in Ethiopia is lacking. This PhD project seeks to fill this gap.

This research aims to analyse the gap between formulated state pesticide policy and its implementation and to review the actual and potential contribution from state (Public)and private actors(pesticide importers, retailers and end users/growers) in changing in pesticides use practices .To achieve this, a conceptual framework, drawn principally from the different theories of environmental governance is applied to assess the role of state and market actors (public -private relationships) in implementing a healthy and socially and environmentally sound flower and vegetable production system in Ethiopia.