Agriculture in Ethiopia is the foundation of the country's economy. In an effort to increase production and productivity, the  agriculture sector puts the use of inputs like pesticides and fertilizers as driving forces.

The use of agricultural inputs, including pesticides, was introduced to smallholder farmers from the 1960s through agricultural extension systems. Since then, pesticide use by smallholder farmers showed a steady growth. This increasing trend in the use of pesticides as part of a development plan poses threats to human health and the environment. Moreover, highly hazardous pesticides are being widely used.

Progressive ban of the use of highly hazardous pesticideshas been recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation since 2006 due to the confirmed adverse impacts they can cause. This short booklet reveals the
level of HHPs use in Ethiopia; the human health, environmental and economic impacts of using HHPs; the availability
of tested alternatives to HHPs; and it recommends the progressive phase out of HHPs from Ethiopia.