Donor Agency: European Union
Executing Agency: Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
Affiliated Agency: Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)
Implementation Period: 36 months
Start Date: February 2020
Project Objective
To improve compliance by CARIFORUM States with international Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, standards and procedures so as to increase international and regional market access.
Project Component
This Action identifies three components:
1. Strengthening of the SPS regulatory environment | 2. SPS Compliance through capacity building | 3. Strengthening the SPS capacity in the fisheries sector
Strengthening of the SPS Regulatory Environment
The activities for this component include:
Upgrading of national regulatory frameworks of selected countries using the model bills;
Improving AHFS coordination by promoting the implementation of the mechanisms developed; and
Developing a regional AHFS policy framework.
SPS Compliance through Capacity Building
The activities for this component include:
Providing direct technical assistance to private sector companies in selected value chains in the areas of food safety standards, HACCP and traceability;
Strengthening the technical capacity of public and private sector professionals in the areas of GAP Auditing and Antimicrobial Resistance;
Upgrading laboratories to conduct tests required for market access.
Improving the management of cadmium concentrations in cocoa and cocoa-derived products from Trinidad and Tobago, through a coordinated regional approach, in order to comply with new trade measures establishing cadmium limits; and
Strengthening technical capacities in African Swine Fever (ASF) and develop a communication strategy to support the effective and efficient implementation of the Dominican Republic's national response and management plan against ASF, thereby ensuring economic and social recovery of the sector.
Strengthening the SPS Capacity in the Fisheries Sector
The activities for the fisheries component include:
Developing a regional framework to coordinate SPS controls;
Building capacity of private sector stakeholders in SPS requirements; and
Upgrading testing laboratories.
Beneficiaries
The SPS Action will target stakeholders from both the public and private sectors in the fifteen CARIFORUM countries. The final beneficiaries from the public sector will include regulatory and inspection services, competent authorities, laboratories and agencies involved in AHFS coordination and other specialised groups. Private sector beneficiaries (including women and youth) will consist of stakeholders from a variety of value chains, primarily small and medium-sized operators.
Beneficiaries:
Private sector entities such as farmers, farmers’ organisations, commodity organisations, exporters and exporters’ associations and food processors and other national and regional private sector agricultural organisations are primary beneficiaries.
Ministries of Agriculture, Health, Trade. These are the primary public sector beneficiaries and as such there will be strong collaboration with National Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Trade. Collaboration in this regard will be largely through IICA’s National Delegations and the Technical National Implementation Network Team (TNINT).
Main Benefits of the Action
Increased capacity for exports
Increased trade and economic development
Increased compliance with international obligations
Improved market access
Reduction in food safety related incidents.