The FAO/WHO Manual on development and use of FAO and WHO specifications for pesticides contains general principles and methodologies of the work undertaken by JMPS, is the continuous evaluation of new scientific developments and guidance documents. The Manual gives the historical background of the operation of the JMPS and describes the purpose of the work. The Manual is also used by countries as a guidance document in setting pesticide specifications. This 3rd revision of the Manual contains n ew methodologies/principles developed in recent 5 years and incorporates the current working principles applied by the JMPS.

With this edition of the manual, FAO is establishing a new procedure for the development of pesticide specifications in a transparent manner. The specifications may be used to provide an international point of reference against which products can be judged, either for regulatory purposes or in commercial dealings, thereby helping to prevent the trading, sale and use of inferior products, and will contribute towards public and environmental safety throughout the world, especially in developing countries

In 2001, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to develop specifications for pesticides jointly, thus providing unique, robust and universally applicable standards for pesticide quality. This joint programme is based on a memorandum of understanding between the two organizations. This 2024 first edition of the Manual on development and use of FAO and WHO specifications for microbial pesticides, which is only available online, supersedes any previous manuals and guidance documents published by either FAO or WHO on this subject. This manual provides the standard process, unified requirements and procedures, harmonized definitions and nomenclature, technical guidelines and standards applicable to microbial pesticides for use in agriculture and public health. FAO and WHO specifications for microbial pesticides based on this manual are developed through the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting on Pesticide Specifications (JMPS) and published on the web sites of the two organizations.