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.

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 2021 second edition of the manual on development and use of FAO and WHO specifications for pesticides, which is only available online, supersedes the March 2020 third revision of the first edition and 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 pesticides for use in agriculture and public health. FAO and WHO specifications for 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.

The Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is intended to help Member Governments participate effectively in the work of the joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme. The manual is particularly useful for national delegations attending Codex meetings and for international organizations attending as observers. It sets out the basic Rules of Procedure, procedures for the elaboration of Codex standards and related texts, basic definitions and guidelines for the operation of Codex committees. It also gives the membership of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Also published in French and Spanish.

The understanding that some pesticides are more hazardous than others is well established. Recognition of this is reflected by the World Health Organization (WHO) Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard, which was first published in 1975. The document classifies pesticides in one of five hazard classes according to their acute toxicity. In 2002, the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) was introduced, which in addition to acute toxicity also provides classification of chemicals according to their chronic health hazards and environmental hazards.