Community Pesticide Action Monitoring

Community based Pesticide Action Monitoring is a network project, together with Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific.

Community-based Pesticide Action Monitoring (CPAM) is a comprehensive programme for awareness-building and empowerment of local communities, which at the same time delivers valuable documentation for the powerful parallel strategy of networking and advocacy work at the national and international levels. Community monitoring fills the information gap on the impact of pesticides on human health and the environment. Armed with this information, communities are better able to take action.

CPAM is based on Participatory Action Research. It involves the community members who undertake the research, and encourages organising and action. The self-surveillance monitoring and recording of the impacts of pesticide use on health raises awareness of the hazards of pesticide use, encouraging changes required to reduce the use of pesticides, adopt more ecological and sustainable practices; and pressure governments to implement better pesticide regulations and international conventions on pesticides. CPAM aims to empower communities to address their situation themselves and get actively involved in solving their problems.

CPAM aims to:

• To increase awareness among farmers and agricultural workers of the adverse impacts of pesticides on their health and the environment
• To facilitate the organising of communities and workers to take action to reduce risks due to pesticide use and to adopt ecological agricultural practices
• To establish the rapid alert response system PQRST (Pesticide Quick Response and Surveillance Team)
• To document the practices and impact of pesticide use at the local level

Text is taken from PAN-AP website