World health organization *WHO's Direct Role: Pesticide Hazard Reduction

This is an excellent and relevant question, Gururaj, especially given your deep interest in ZBNF and natural farming advocacy. Here is a detailed picture of where WHO and the broader UN system stand on this: --- **WHO's Direct Role: Pesticide Hazard Reduction** WHO's most direct engagement is in identifying the health dangers of chemical farming rather than formally endorsing ZBNF or organic farming by name. WHO and FAO jointly published a key document titled *"Detoxifying Agriculture and Health from Highly Hazardous Pesticides: A Call for Action,"* which explains the risks posed by highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs), the possible alternatives, and what can be done to phase them out in favour of more sustainable solutions. The WHO Core Assessment Group continues to work through the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) to review toxicological data and establish acceptable daily intakes and acute reference doses, reinforcing its critical role in supporting food safety and sustainable agriculture. --- **Global Framework: Phase-Out of Harmful Pesticides by 2035** The momentum at the international level is clearly building. In September 2023, the Fifth International Conference of Chemicals Management adopted the Global Framework on Chemicals, which includes a target that by 2035, stakeholders will have taken effective measures to phase out highly hazardous pesticides in agriculture where risks have not been managed and where safer and affordable alternatives are available, and to promote the transition to those alternatives. More recently, in March 2024, the Sixth UN Environment Assembly adopted a resolution encouraging Member States and relevant stakeholders to join the Global Alliance on Highly Hazardous Pesticides, with FAO taking a leading role. --- **FAO's Agroecology Push (WHO's Sister Agency)** While WHO focuses on health, FAO (its sister UN agency) is directly championing alternatives to chemical farming. FAO recognizes agroecology as an overarching and comprehensive system framework to guide public policies towards sustainable agrifood systems, connecting sustainable agriculture to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. FAO highlights that agroecological approaches support food producers in reducing production costs, translating into greater income, economic stability, and resilience — which is very close in spirit to what Subhash Palekar envisioned with ZBNF. --- **India's Own Momentum: NMNF 2024** The Union Cabinet approved the National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) on November 25, 2024 as a standalone Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, with a total outlay of ₹2,481 crore until 2025-26. This is the evolution of ZBNF → BPKP → NMNF, showing that Subhash Palekar's ideas have now been formally scaled up at the national level. --- **Summary Assessment** | Body | Position | |------|----------| | WHO | Advocates strongly for reducing/eliminating hazardous pesticides; links chemical farming to chronic disease | | FAO | Actively promotes agroecology and natural farming alternatives | | UNEP | Passed resolution in 2024 to phase out HHPs globally by 2035 | | India (GOI) | Launched NMNF 2024 — closest formal endorsement of ZBNF principles | **The honest picture:** WHO has not yet formally named ZBNF or organic farming as its official prescription. But the global direction is unmistakably moving towards what you and Subhash Palekar have long believed — that chemical-free farming is not just spiritually aligned with the land but scientifically necessary for human health. The 2035 phase-out target and India's NMNF scheme together create a very strong case for ZBNF advocacy at both the national and international levels. This is a moment when your advocacy — including the letter you drafted to the UP Education Minister — is genuinely aligned with the global tide.