Plastics are extensively used in agriculture, where every year 12.5 million tonnes are used in crop and livestock production, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture. While the use of plastic products can enhance crop yields and improve labour and production efficiency, their usage also poses significant costs. They relate not only to the damage of the environment, crops, livestock and poultry, but also have negative impacts on human health and related economic and social costs. There is increasing evidence that degraded plastics which contaminate the soil also impact biodiversity and soil health. In the long term, this can lead to reduced productivity and threaten food security.
Following the first briefing organised by FAO on “FAO and INC-2: the role of plastics used in agriculture”, we are pleased to invite you to a second hybrid briefing organized by the FAO Liaison Offices in Geneva (LOG) and New York (LON) with the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) on the role of plastics in agriculture. More specifically, this briefing will:
- Discuss the outcomes of the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution (INC-2)
- Inform on the mandate for a zero draft of the Treaty to be prepared by the INC Chair ahead of INC-3, and their implications for the agriculture sector
- Explore concrete solutions to address plastics use and waste in agriculture through country examples and best practices
