Written by Ildiko Heim

The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed a Voluntary Code of Conduct (VCoC) on sustainable use and management of plastics in agriculture.

The VCoC “provides the guiding principles, actions and measures that governments, manufacturers of plastics used in agriculture, and other stakeholders in the agrifood systems may adopt to promote sustainable management practices for plastics used in agriculture.”

The initiative comes in the wake of the failed global plastic treaty talks which are due to restart later this year.

The six articles

The VCoC has six articles that guide stakeholders with voluntary, actionable recommendations to prevent or minimise agricultural plastic waste, improve recycling, and to seek more sustainable alternatives.

The Code promotes the management of agricultural plastics based on the 6R model: Refuse, Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover.

Tackling waste at both ends

Critically, the VCoC includes both upstream and downstream interventions.

The upstream focuses on overseeing production and demand of plastics used in agriculture.

It also advocates for the promotion of more sustainable alternatives and environmentally sustainable product design, such as:

• Using of recycled materials.
• Reducing microplastic-release
• Minimising hazardous materials and chemicals.
• Designing for reusability, repairability and recyclability.

Downstream interventions focus on reducing plastic leakage into the environment and improving management of plastic waste.

These interventions would mean a responsible and sustainable use of plastic alongside the promotion and development of alternatives.

FAO encourages governments and plastic producers to develop further guidelines and technical manuals based on VCoC, which will also be reviewed periodically by the stakeholders.

MINAGRIS welcomes the VCoC and the efforts of the FAO to find an interim solution to plastic pollution in agriculture as we approach the second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, which is scheduled to take place from 5 to 14 August 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

MINAGRIS aims to translate scientific research into practical knowledge to support stakeholders (farmers, plastic industry and policymakers) make more sustainable decisions about agricultural plastics. 

We are looking forward to seeing the VCoC build on this initial statement by evolving practical steps to manage plastic production and waste management with the buy-in of industry and governmental stakeholders.

We hope that the world will be able to agree on a more binding global plastic treaty this year.

For the full text of the VCoC click here.