About IICA
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is the specialised agency for agriculture of the Inter-American System that supports the efforts of Member States to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being.
The Institute provides cooperation services through close and permanent work with its 34 Member States, addressing their needs in a timely manner. Without a doubt, IICA’s most valuable asset is the close relationship it maintains with the beneficiaries of its work. We have broad experience in areas such as technology and innovation for agriculture, agricultural health, food safety and quality, international agricultural trade, family farming, rural development, natural resource management and the bio-economy.
IICA is the executing agency for the 11th EDF Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures Project, which aims to increase compliance by CARIFORUM States with international SPS measures, standards and procedures to increase international and regional market access.
Agricultural Health, Food Safety and Food Quality
IICA focuses on promoting a productive, competitive and sustainable agriculture sector that provides a safe supply of food through local, regional and global markets, by formulating, improving and applying policies based on Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) and quality.
Our key areas of focus are the promotion of institutional strengthening of AHFS systems; the harmonisation, updating and implementation of health, safety and quality standards; capacity development for the adoption of best practices; and the tackling of emerging issues and health, phytosanitary and food safety emergencies, with an emphasis on cross-border cases.
11th European Development Fund Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Project
With the aim of assisting the CARIFORUM region to modernise their AHFS systems for improved agricultural trade interventions, the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Project built on previous investments and advanced the state of SPS compliance in the region. Generally, interventions strengthened SPS systems in the regulatory environment and in supply chain systems. Within this context, focused investments through the 11th EDF Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Action will expand the impact of these advances to ensure that CARIFORUM countries attain the medium to long-term benefits of enhanced competitiveness and increase market access by complying with SPS measures. Additionally, targeted interventions will also strengthen regional harmonised SPS measures which are critical to advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).
The current SPS Action will focus on:
1. Furthering the development of the SPS regulatory environment in CARIFORUM Countries;
2. Improving public and private sector capacity to comply with SPS measures, standards and procedures; and
3. Strengthening SPS capacity in the fisheries sector.
