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IMPROVED PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT IN AGRICULTURE IN ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA, POLAND AND NORTH WEST RUSSIA

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Background

The Baltic Sea ecosystem is threatened by pollution from point- and non-point sources. One of the main and also most complex environmental problems to control is the discharge of nitrogen and phosphorous from agriculture, which significantly contributes to the over all nutrient load and eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. In 1992 HELCOM endorsed the Baltic Sea Environment Action Programme (JCP) in order to prevent the deterioration of the Baltic Sea ecosystem. Sweden has supported numerous activities under the JCP and significant contributions have been attributed to the control of pollution from agriculture in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and NW Russia within the Baltic Agricultural Run-off Action Program (BAAP). These activities have primarily been devoted to improved control of nutrient discharge from farm manure and arable land. Recent developments and the restructuring of agricultural production in these areas have, however, highlighted the need for activities that would contribute to improve pesticide management. The use of pesticides is increasing rapidly with potential risks to human health, bio-diversity and pollution of ground- and surface waters. Activities under this Terms of Reference are designed to improve pesticide management in agriculture in the above-mentioned countries and co-ordinate the effort with BAAP and the planned GEF Baltic Sea Regional Project.

Control of pesticide use is similar in the Baltic countries including Poland, with legislative and policy direction connected to the EU accession regulations. Codes of Good Agricultural Practice set the environmental standards to be attained, and these also include pesticide management. Conditions in Russia (including Kaliningrad and St Petersburg Regions) are different regarding implementation of regional legislative and policy instruments. However, the environmental recommendations of the Helcom Agricultural Annex III involve both the accession countries and North West Russia and provide a joint framework for amending pesticide management. The need for control of pesticide use and management seems to be equal in all mentioned countries, with possibly NW Russia as the region where gaps between legislative measures and actual practice will be largest.

Projects in progress in the Region

Danish experts have helped to develop the Codes of Good Agricultural Practice (CGAP) in several countries in the Region. If rigorously adhered to, these codes guarantee user safety and health, and reduce the potential risk pesticides pose to the environment. Several ongoing Danish projects include design and implementation of Pesticide User Certificate Courses (equivalent to the Swedish 'Behörighetskurserna') including aspects of user health and, starting last year, an Internet based Decision Support System for Crop Protection in the Baltic countries and Poland. The latter project should result in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and thus ensure closer adherence to the CGAP.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the World Bank in co-operation with HELCOM and other local partners plan for the implementation of a major project the Baltic Sea Regional Project that comprises of both land based and marine activities. The aim of the land based and agricultural interventions are to reduce non-point source pollution from agriculture in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and North West Russia. The project will engage with the local agricultural advisory services and strengthen the network of demonstration watersheds.

Objectives

The objectives of the present project proposal are 1) to ensure maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity in the Region and 2) that the waters of the Baltic Sea as well as local surface and ground water are protected as far as possible from pesticide contamination. In order to achieve the objective the following activities are proposed:

Demonstration of, and education in, methods to avoid the potential negative environmental impacts whilst handling and using pesticides in agriculture.
Strengthen the agricultural advisory infrastructure regarding the use of pesticides. 

Co-ordination with BAAP and GEF Baltic Sea Regional Project (BSRP)

The required Services are expected to fully integrate with BAAP and GEF Baltic Sea Regional Project to ensure the effective use of established demonstration watersheds and installations. Complementary activities are planned within the GEF Baltic Sea Regional Project in order to determine the current level of pesticide contamination (base line data) 

Programme area

The programme area includes the Baltic Sea catchment's area of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the NW and Kaliningrad areas of Russia. The Consultant may prioritise their proposals in terms of geographic implementation of the project and key tasks within the frames listed below.

Key tasks

The following key tasks (in order of priority) have been identified as elements of the implementation of the proposed programme. The programme should include but not be limited to:

A. Reduction of pesticide contamination of watercourses and enhancement of bio-diversity on arable land. This task should include training in and demonstration of suitable techniques to protect water courses from pesticide drift and/or run off e.g. grass ley buffer zones and unsprayed crop margins; 'bio beds' for safe filling and emptying of sprayer equipment. Demonstration of these techniques should take place on existing BAAP/GEF demonstration watersheds. Capacity building in the form of training, practical measurements of bio-diversity indicators on the demonstration farms, and production of relevant information material in the above techniques. Primary target group is the farming community working with the agricultural advisory services (All countries).
B. Improvement of advisory services regarding pesticide usage in NW Russia. This task should include capacity building in the form of training and production of relevant information material for advisors/university staff in establishing economic thresholds, and modelling how different factors affect these thresholds. Additional courses should be given on modern methods to monitor insects, weeds and plant diseases where such knowledge is lacking. (NW Russia and Kaliningrad areas only).
C. Improvement of advisory services regarding prognosis of pest development in NW Russia (Linked to B.) This task should include capacity building in the form of courses and production of relevant information material for advisors in the use of unsprayed early warning plots, maintaining protocols and analysing accumulated data to predict insect and weed population trends and plant disease development. (NW Russia and Kaliningrad areas only)
D. Monitoring pesticide contamination of surface and ground water in the Baltic Sea catchment's area. This task should include determination of selected pesticide contamination levels in water at the existing and planned BAAP/GEF water monitoring stations. Note: This task will be covered by the proposed GEF project and is NOT included in the current terms of reference.

Project duration.

The project(s) will run for two years from 2002 - 2003. There may, however, be a possibility to prolong certain activities for a further year following evaluation in December 2003.

Available Funds.

The maximum funds available for tasks A - C amount to 6 m SEK for the years 2002 - 2003. As a guideline it is suggested that 4 m SEK be allocated to task A and 2 m SEK to tasks B and C. The project shall include activities in all countries. Available funds are for covering costs for Swedish expert assistance in pesticide management, their travel expenses, and other reimbursable costs and to a limited extent for local costs. Maximum 25 % of the available funds can be used for covering local costs (fees, minor investments etc in the program area) and in addition 25 % of the project costs are expected as local co-funding (BAAP guidelines). Local co-funding can be in the form of in-kind contributions or cash.

Submission of proposals

Submission of proposals will be done in two phases:

1. Preliminary proposal

This should include the organisational and methodological approach by key tasks and countries mentioned, and cost estimates by activity/country proposed by the Consultant. It is also important to identify consortium partners including both Swedish and recipient organisations/local partners (see below - Submission of preliminary proposals).

2. Final Proposal

This should include specifications and detailed work plans by key tasks and countries mentioned and cost of proposed measures. Proposals should closely adhere to SIDA 'Guidelines for Project Proposals'.

Award of Improved Pesticide Management Project (IPMP) commissions will be based on Final proposals.

Closing dates

Submission of Preliminary proposals 1st September 2001
Submission of Final proposals 15th November 2001
Contracting of IPMP commissions January 2002

Content of the preliminary proposals

Candidate consultants should provide a preliminary proposal containing the following information:

Statements of Capabilities of the Consulting Organisations. This should include information on the experience and capabilities of both the Swedish and local organisation participating in the proposal.
Proposed Implementation Plan. This should provide an explanation of the organisational and methodological approach proposed by the consultants. It should specifically identify the different roles to be played by foreign and local experts with regard to guidelines and key tasks of the IPMP.
Proposed Implementation Schedule. This should include a schedule in the form of a bar chart (by task). It should be recognised that the schedule may be modified in the final proposal.
Team Organisation. The consultants should provide an interdisciplinary team of experts from co-operating institutions and organisations in the participating countries. This should include information on team leaders and the qualifications and experience of proposed team members.
Cost Estimates. This should include cost estimates of proposed activities. The nature of the preliminary proposal requires that these figures be viewed as an estimate of the magnitude of the costs and their relative distribution between Swedish and local participants mentioned in the proposal.
Environmental Benefits and Impacts. This should include an evaluation of environmental impacts and benefits of the proposed measures both on a short and long-term basis and how co-ordination with BAAP/GEF is achieved.

Further information.

Further information can be found on our web site ( http://www-ibyr.adm.slu.se )

 

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. International Office 1/19/2002

 

BAAP regional network. webmin@baap.lt Page updated 2002.01.21