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WorkshopReport

TrainingonCitizensToolforCommunityMonitoringofHighlyHazardous

Pesticides(HHPs)UseandImpactstoHealthandEnvironmentinFlowerFarms

NaivashaLakeviewResort,Naivasha,Kenya

27thNovember,2015

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ThisassignmentwouldhavenotbeenpossiblewithoutthefinancialassistancefromDevelopingWorld Outreach Initiative (DWOI) and for which CEJAD remains sincerely thankful. Theincrediblecontributionofourgrassrootspartners,KenyaPlantationWorkersUnion(KPWU)inidentifyingandmobilizingworkshopparticipantswasinevitableinthesuccessofthisworkshop.We are therefore indebted to the union. The role of the PublicHealthOffice,Naivasha sub-county,throughMr.EzekielBowen–apublichealthofficer,inprovidingacriticalreviewofthetraining materials and methodology cannot go unnoticed. We sincerely appreciate all theworkshopparticipantswhooutof theirbusy schedulepurposed toattend theworkshopandactively contributed ideasandhence the successof theworkshop. Lastly,CEJADapplauds itsleanbutdedicatedstaffwhoworkedthroughtheconstraintsoflimitedresourcesandtimetoorganizeandruntheworkshop.

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1. Background

The flower industry isoneof theKenya’s top foreignexchangeearners. It contributes to the

country’s status as a leading African economy and provides a source of income for many

Kenyans.Theindustryhashoweverbeenthefocusofextensivemediaandacademicresearch

attentionregardingitsimpactonworkers'livelihoods,environmentalsustainabilityandonthe

Kenyaneconomy.Forexample,flowerfarmshavebeenaccusedofdiminishingKenya’salready

scarcewaterresources(particularlyinLakeNaivasha),poisoningwatersuppliesbythedumping

andleakingofpesticidesandchemicalsandhumanandworkerrightsabuses.

NaivasharegionofKenyaishometoawiderangeofhorticulturalindustries.Thelargenumber

ofhorticulturalfarmsintheareameansahigherrateofpesticideandchemicaluseinthearea.

Theabuseandmisuseofpesticidescanbeattributedtofactorssuchasilliteracy,inaccessibility

to reliable protective clothing, limited monitoring and general poverty, as well as a weak

monitoringframeworkonthesame

Workersinflowerfarmshavebeenexposedtopoorworkingconditionsthathavereducedtheir

productivity. Some workers have become sick as a result of poor human safety related to

handlingchemicals.Theacutedangersofpesticidesusearehighlyvariabledependingonthe

typeofpesticideandthelevelofexposure.Chronicexposuretohighlyhazardouspesticidescan

result in effects on skin, eyes, nervous system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract,

liver,kidneys,reproductivesystem,endocrinesystemandblood.

Pesticides were found to affect the health of the users and therefore training on safe and

effective use of pesticides can significantly reduce the likelihood of the farmers' misuse of

pesticides. Training increases the levelof farmers' andworkers informationknowledgewhen

usingthepesticides.

2. ObjectivesoftheTrainingWorkshop

Theoverall objective of the trainingwas to educate flower farmworkers andother affected

populationsonthecommunitybasedmonitoringapproachesformonitoringtheuseandeffects

ofpesticidestohumanhealthandenvironment.Specifically,thetrainingaimedatachievingthe

followingobjectives:

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1. Empowertheflowerfarmworkerstomonitortheuseofhighlyhazardouspesticidesand

theireffectstothehealthoftheworkersandenvironment

2. Createaselfperpetuatingcommunitybasedmonitoringsystemformonitoringtheuse

of the highly hazardous pesticides and reducing the adverse impacts associatedwith

theiruseinflowerfarmsinKenya.

3. Participation

The training brought together participants drawn from flower farms and other stakeholder

organizations,madeupasfollows:-

• Flowerfarmworkersfromvariousflowerfarmsinthearea

• Government Health Ministry (public health officer from Naivasha sub county

hospital)

• KenyaPlantationandAgriculturalWorkersUnion(KPAWU)officials

• CEJADstaff

4. WorkshopApproach

The training was a one day event held on 27th November, 2015. The workshop was

participatory in nature and activities comprised both presentations and plenary discussion

sessions(Seeannex).Thetraininginvolvedthefollowingapproachesandmethodologies.

• Useof visual aidedpresentations (powerpointpresentations,pictures) to give

the trainees (ToTs) an in depth understanding of each and every topic to be

adopted.

• Participatorymethods(plenarydiscussions)fortheparticipants

5. WorkshopProceedings

5.1. Opening–remarksfromGriffinsOchieng-CEJAD

The opening of the workshop was conducted byMr. Griffins Ochieng, CEJAD’s programmes

coordinator.Mr.Ochiengwelcomedparticipantsandappreciatedtheirpresenceandthanked

them for making it to the meeting to participate in the important training which seek to

promote the use of community based approached in monitoring the use and impacts of

pesticides to human health and environment, an initiative pioneered by CEJAD in 2014 by

CEJADwithsupportfromGlobalGreengrantsFunds(GGF).Theinitiativeoftrainingflowerfarm

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workersoriginatedfromandwasrecommendedbythecommunityandwasconceptualizedby

CEJAD.

Inhisremarks,hepointedoutthatthroughouttheprojectandafter,CEJADhasbeenworking

closelywiththeMinistryofHealthinmattersrelatedtochemicals,specificallyoneducatingthe

communityinNaivashaonhealthandenvironmentalimpactsofpesticides.

He briefly explained the environmental effects of various chemicals citing 2013 rapid survey

conducted by CEJADwhere it found that pesticidesmisuse and adverse impacts to workers

healthand to theenvironment, thiswasdue tobyweak lawsenforcementsandmonitoring.

Themonitoringtoolwasdevelopedin2014afterthesurveytohelpempowerthecommunity

toselfmonitorusageofbannedpesticidesandotherdangerouschemicalsaswellastheeffects

ofsuchpesticidestotheirhealthandenvironmentandaimsatempoweringthecommunityto

gainrelevantandup-to-dateknowledgeonvariouspesticides.

HestatedthatCEJADseekstopartnerwiththecommunitymembersespeciallytheflowerfarm

workerstohelp implementthecitizensmonitoringtool. Infurtherancetoseekingcommunity

partnership, he explained that the citizens monitoring tool would help impart relevant

knowledge to the communityonmatters regarding chemicals andonhandlingandusing the

chemicalswithspecificationtopesticides.Thetraining,therefore,aimsatbuildingthecapacity

of theparticipants in formofTrainingofTrainers tohelp scaleout the skills gained toother

flower farmworkers represented in theworkshop.This,willeventuallyhelp reachout to the

maximumnumberpossible.

The main target of the training was those working in flower farms since they deal with

chemicalsonanalmostdaytodaybasis.HehighlightedthattheroleofCEJADistopromote

chemicalsafetyguidedbythefollowingobjectives;

• Providerelevantinformationonvariouschemicals

• Capacitybuildscommunitiesonhandlingandusageofchemicals.

• Linkthegrassrootorganizationstotheinternationalarenaandtothe

Government.

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5.2. Presentation on Highly hazardous pesticides, characteristics and impacts to

humanhealth and environment andNational legal and regulatory frameworks

forcontrollingtheproduction,use,sprayinganddisposalofpesticides:byEzekiel

Bowen;

ThetopiconHHPscharacteristicsandhealth impactswasfacilitatedbyEzekielBowen,public

health officer at Naivasha sub district hospital. This topic underscored the toxicity of highly

hazardouspesticidesandtheirharmfuleffectstohumanhealthandenvironment.Forexample,

ofthe900+activeingredientscurrentlyinuseglobally,86areclassifiedbytheWHOasbeing

ExtremelyHazardous(Class1a)orHighlyHazardous(Class1b).

The presenter also informed participants on the pesticides listed under the Rotterdam

Convention on Prior Informed Consent, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic

Pollutants(POPs),andtheMontrealProtocolonSubstancesthatDepletetheOzoneLayer,and

that thereareapproximately120pesticidesthatarewidelyagreedtobehighlyhazardousto

humanhealthandtheenvironment.

ThepresenteralsocoveredthetopiconlegalandregulatorycontrolsforHHPs.Forexample,he

informedparticipantsthatapartfromthenationallaws,HHPsiscoveredunderTheFAO/WHO

InternationalCodeofConductonPesticideManagement,releasedin2014,isaframeworkthat

guidesgovernmentsandother relevant stakeholders in the soundmanagementofpesticides

throughouttheirlifecycle.

ItcameoutalsothatPesticideregulatorstakeintoaccounttheconditionsofsale,storage,use

anddisposalofpesticidesintheircountry..Insomecases,regulatorsmayfindproblemswith

pesticideswhicharenotlistedbyanyoftheinstrumentsintheHHPcriteria.Inthesecases,the

final criterion indicates that regulators can decide a pesticide is an HHP if it shows a high

incidenceofsevereorirreversibleadverseeffectsonhumanhealthortheenvironment.

PlenaryReactions/Discussions

The following were the main issues that arose from the reactions and discussions held in

plenaryonthetopics.

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It was pointed out that the there was no initiative by the Government regarding

handlingandusageofchemicalsandontheactiontotakeincaseofchemicalinfection

whileworkingforthefarmsandincasesuchexistedthentheworkerswerenotaware.

Itwasnotedthatsomechemicalinfectioncasesgounreportedhencemakingitnoteasy

toclaimforcompensationortakealegalaction.

Itcameoutthatthetoolwasthebestapproachtobeusedinaccessingconfidentialand

reliableinformationonusageofpesticidesintheflowerfarms.

There is laxityamongemployers inhelpingtheirworkers incaseof infectionfromthe

chemicalstheyuseatwork.

The presently practiced procedure of chemical infection diagnosis or examination is

inefficientaccordingtotheparticipants.

Itwas suggested that, aMaterial SafetyData Sheet (MSDS) to be established to help

containinformationonvariouschemicalswhichwillhenceguidewhenandhowtotake

precautionarymeasuresanditwillalsohelpindevelopingperiodicmedicalreports

ItwasmadeknownthattheNaivashasubcountyhealthofficeisconductingaprofiling

offlowerfarmsinNaivashaandislikelytobecompletedinFebruary2016.Theprofiling

processencapsulatesworkers’healthconcerns.

Identifiedareasofweaknessescallingforinterventionmeasures;

Weakmonitoringmeasuresonpesticideswithintheflowerfarms

Gettingthesocialacceptancefromworkers tohelp implementsome initiatives

suchasthe‘rotationrule’especiallyforsprayersintheflowerfarmswaspointed

outasachallengesincethesprayersarepaidalittlehigherthussomeworkers

areunwillingtoobeytherotationalrule.

Changingacompany’sdiurnalroutineofoperationinimplementingsomeofthe

initiativesisachallenge.

Theneedforcreationofawarenessonthechemicalsandworkers’rightsneeded

tobefuelledupaccordingtoparticipants.

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Photo 1: Mr. Ezekiel Bowen, Public HealthOfficer,Naivasha sub district hospitalmakingpresentation at the workshop. (Photo credit:CEJAD)

Photo2:Mr.GriffinsOchieng,CEJADmakingopeningremarksduringtheworkshop.(photocredit:CEJAD)

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5.3. PresentationoftheCitizensMonitoringToolforCommunitybasedapproachesto

monitoringtheuseandimpactsofpesticides:byAronKecha-CEJAD

The tool on citizens monitoring tool was presented and introduced to the workshop

participantsbyMr.AronKechaonbehalfofCEJAD.Inthepresentation,hegaveabackground

ofthetooldevelopment,pointingthatthetoolwasdevelopedthroughaparticipatoryprocess

involvingateamcomprisingofflowerfarmworkers,fishermen,communityleaders,community

healthvolunteersamongothersthatwasestablishedasacommunitymonitoringteamunder

theprojectimplementedbyCEJADin2014.

In the presentation, it was also pointed that the tool was mainly developed to promote

communitybasedapproaches forpesticidesuseand impactsmonitoringand is tobeusedas

guidancetohelpthecitizenstakeactionasagentsofchangeinmonitoringtheuseandeffects

of HHPs to human health and environment within their surrounding communities. It was

pointed out that the initiativewas pioneered by CEJAD drawing from the successes learned

fromCommunityPesticidesActionMonitoring(CPAM)thatwasimplementedinAsia.Thiswas

initiatedinresponsetoproblemsidentifiedbycommunitiesduringarapidassessmentcarried

outin2013thatpointedtoweakenforcementandmonitoringoflawsonthepartofauthorities

duetovariousfactorssuchasinadequateresourcesandcapacitiesamongrelevantgovernment

agencies.

Inthepresentationofthetool,hepointedthatthetoolisdividedinto3stepsnamely;

a) Identifying the team members and key stakeholders that should take part in the

developmentofthemonitoringprocess

b) Identificationofthepesticidesbeingusedinthehorticulturalfieldsinthearea.Lookat

thecontainerofthepesticide,activeingredients,manufacturingcompanyandcountry

ofmanufacturer.

c) Identifying symptoms of pesticides poisoning as a result of exposure. Different

pesticides cause different reactions, so attention can be given to thosewhich causes

immediateimpactstoorganismstheyareexposedtoandalsotolongtermseffectsthat

hasbeen

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However,hepointedthat the first stepwasanexercise that involvedbrainstormingwith the

community monitoring team to come up with the relevant members to be involved in the

developmentof the tool. Theother two stepshenoted thatareguidance to selfmonitoring

tool(seeannex).

PlenaryDiscussion

Thefollowingwerethemainissues/reactionsfromthediscussionsheldafterthepresentation.

! Thetool is tobeusedbythetrainedtrainers tohelpcapacitybuildother flower farm

workersonmatterschemical.

! It was emphasized that the monitoring process is a citizen’s driven activity that is

voluntaryandshouldbeacontinuousprocessonlytohelpdocumentandrecordcases

ofpesticidesmisuseandeffectssuchaspoisoningsespeciallytohealthandenvironment

! Illiteracylevel/lackofpropereducationamongthefarmworkerswasmentionedasthe

majorpotentialchallengeinimplementingthetool.

Photo1&2:Aparticipantexplainingapointduringplenaryandasectionoftheparticipants

duringtheworkshop(Photocredit:CEJAD)

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6. WayforwardandWorkshopClosure

Mr.GriffinsOchiengonbehalfofCEJADprovidedtheclosingremarks.HepointedthatCEJADis

keentoensurethattheinitiativeofpromotingcommunitybasedapproachformonitoringthe

useandeffectsofHHPsusingthecitizen’stoolissustained.CEJADwouldseekmorepartnersto

realize this objective and promised it will strive to engage all stakeholders including flower

farmsmanagementandgovernmenttoensurethatworkersandcommunitiesinNaivashaare

protectedfromtheuseandeffectsofharmfulchemicalssuchasHHPs.Asawayforward,the

followingwereagreedbyallparticipants:

The trainingoutcomewasagreed tobesharedwithother flower farmworkersnot in

attendancetohelpreachoutthemaximumnumberpossible.

Any relevant information likely to arise in the tool’s implementation process is to be

channeled through the Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPAWU)

offices, the representative of the workers who are partnering with CEJAD. KPAWU

would then collect the information collected from theuse of the tool andprovide to

CEJADwhichwould then process the information and engage the relevant bodies or

agencies.

In closing, he thanked all the participants for their presence, active participation and

enthusiasmthroughouttheworkshopproceedings.

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7. Annexes

7.1. Annex1:Programme/Agenda

FRIDAY,27THNOVEMBER2015,NAIVASHALAKEVIEWRESORT

Time Topics Duration

8.30–9.00am Registration,Welcomeand

Introductions

30Minutes

9.00am–9.15am Purposeandoverview 15Minutes

Sessionone:

Topic 1: Highly hazardous pesticides, characteristics and impacts to human health and

environment

9.15–10.00am • WhatareHHPs

• Theircharacteristics

• Impactstohumanhealth

andenvironment

45Minutes

10.00am–10.30am QuestionandAnswersession 15Minutes

10.30–11.00am HealthBreak

Topic2:Nationallegalandregulatoryframeworksforcontrollingtheproduction,use,spraying

anddisposalofpesticides

11.00am–11.45am • Whataretherightsof

workers

• Whatredress

mechanismsexistinlaw

forworkers

• Whatistheroleofflower

farmmanagementvisa

visworkersinmanaging

pesticides

45Minutes

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11.45–12.30pm QuestionsandAnswers 45Minutes

12.30–2.00pm Lunch

Sessiontwo

Topic3:Communitybasedapproachestomonitoringtheuseandimpactsofpesticides

2.00–3.00pm Participatoryandcommunicative

methods–

• Presentationonthe

citizenstool

3.00pm–3.30pm Plenary

3.30–4.00Pm WayforwardandClosureofworkshop

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7.2. Annex2:ListofParticipants

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Annex3:CitizensTool

SELFMONITORINGTOOL

RecordEverything!

Ifyouareexposedtoand/orexperiencepesticidepoisoning,recordthefollowinginformationassoonaspossible!Keepanyphotos.

Makecopiesoftherecordingformforyouandotherstofillout,ifneeded.

RecordingFormforPesticideExposureandpoisoning

1. YourName:____________________________________________________________

2. DateofPesticideExposure:_______________TimeofExposure:___________AM/PMMonth/day/year

3. Age:_______________________ Sex:Male[ ] Female.[ ]

4.Theexposurehappenedwhile:

a) Working b)athome c)other(specify)_____________

5.LocationofExposure: (Be specific! Which farm? Which section? Office? Etc.)

___________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________ 6.Weatherconditionsattimeofexposure:Wind(Fromwhatdirection?_________Howfast?

________)RainOther(specify)_________________________________________________

7.Didyousmellortasteanythingatthetimeofexposure?Yes [ ] No.[ ]

Ifso,whatdiditsmellortastelike?________________________________________________

8.Whatpesticidewasit?(Ifyouknow)Trytoidentifyandwriteeveninlocalname.Alsotryto

identifythenameofthemanufacturer,manufacturedinwhichcountry,

_____________________________________________________________________________

9.Describetheexposure:(whatwereyoudoing?Wasitaspray,oryouhandledthecontainer,

wasitlabeled?Etc)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

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10.Whowasexposed?(Writethenamesandcontactinformationofallpeopleyouknowwho

wereexposed)

Name__________________________________________ Contactinfo:__________________

Name__________________________________________ Contactinfo___________________

Name___________________________________________Contactinfo___________________

11.Haveyouexperiencedorsawalreadyotherpesticidepoisoningsinthepast?

Yes[ ] No[ ]

12.Whatsymptomsdidyouandothersexperience?

Diarrhea........................Yes............No

Dizziness.......................Yes............No

Headache.......................Yes............No

Burningeyes.................Yes............No

Stomachaches................Yes............No

Nausea/vomiting............Yes............No

Rashorirritation..........Yes............No

Onsetofasthmaattack.Yes............No

Tinglingornumbnessofskinormouth..........................Yes.............No

Chemicaltasteinyourmouth,sorethroat.......................Yes.............No

Difficultybreathingorshortnessofbreath.................Yes.............No

Disorientationorconfusion.........Yes.............No

Allergy-likereaction(sneezing&runny,itchynose)...Yes............."#

12.Whatenvironmentalpoisoningshaveyouobserved?(Poisoningonfish,plants,animals,

birdsetc)Pleaselistandexplainwhathappenedandwhenitoccurred.