The biodiversity contained in the six biodiversity hotspots located in this
region was also at considerable risk from the toxic effects of pesticides from agricultural fields as well
as plantations of tea, coffee, rubber, oil palm, which were often present in close proximity of protected
areas. Though a large number of countries in this region had ratified and/or signed important
international conventions on pesticide manufacture, export-import and trans boundary movements such
as the Stockholm, the Rotterdam and the Basel conventions.