CropLife Europe reaches 11% of its goal of training 1 million farmers on pesticide and biopesticide applications by 2030.
Following the 2020 release of six measurable commitments supporting the ambitions of the European Green Deal, CropLife Europe has announced the first results in the area of protecting people and the environment. In 2021, the industry representing pesticide and biopesticide manufacturers in Europe trained 112,193 farmers, advisors and multipliers on best practices for the implementation of Integrated Pest Management, operator safety, as well as water and environment protection. In just the first year, the industry has reached 11% of its target of training 1 million farmers by 2030.
“We want to contribute to the overall goals of the Sustainable Use Regulation. Embracing the use and access to innovation has a key role,” said Olivier de Matos, Director General of CropLife Europe.
“Knowledge transfer is essential in the widespread uptake of new technologies. Our industry recognises our responsibility to train farmers, operators and advisors on how to best manage crops with minimal impact on the environment and maximum levels of protection,” de Matos added.
The results were reported by CropLife Europe members, and then compiled and validated by a committee composed of external stakeholders. A strict set of definitions qualify a training:
- Trainings for Farmers/Operators shall be a minimum of 45 minutes for face to face trainings and 30 minutes for online (virtual trainings).
- Trainings for Multipliers shall be set at a minimum of 2 hours for face to face trainings and 1 hour for online (virtual trainings).
“We believe that the objective of training 1 million advisors and farmers on best management practices is ambitious, and we are working hard to achieve it,” de Matos concluded.