The Pesticides Initiative Programme, which assists ACP producers to implement safe and responsible production and trading practices has been prolonged until July 2008. It will receive additional funding of nearly €5 million (£3.4m).
The European Commission based its decision to continue funding PIP on a mid-term evaluation of the programme which began in 2002, recommended it be extended with a supplementary budget to enable it to accept a growing number of requests for support from ACP firms.
The conclusions of the evaluation highlighted the improved competitiveness of businesses involved with PIP, more rational use of pesticides and better internal organisation of quality controls and traceability. PIP has demonstrated, it said, the viability of including smallholders in the process of ensuring compliance by ACP exporters and producers.
The extra time and budget afforded to PIP will enable it to move beyond its initial parameters and make support possible for more than 85 per cent of the sector. During the next two years, PIP, which is co-ordinated by the European-African-Caribbean-Pacific liaison committee (ColeACP), will also collaborate with other programmes and institutions to widen the availability of its training services and on-the-ground experience.
“Prolongation of the programme is proof of the confidence placed by the EC and the ACP secretariat in ColeACP and in the PIP management unit,” said a statement. “It is also a validation of the original approach adopted for this "all ACP" project funded by the EDF. Through PIP, ColeACP has proven its capacity to commit and deliver aid to the final beneficiaries, namely ACP small producers and exporters.”
