development
projects
location Nairobi, Kenya date 2008 – 2010 project team Florence Chege
establishing a centre of phytosanitary excellence
Agriculture is seen as the key to development across the vast African continent. Around 60% of all employment in Africa is agricultural, and its produce makes up 40% of the total foreign exchange income. To increase plant health and reduce the risks and effects of new pests and diseases phytosanitary systems need to be put in place which safeguard food security. They also protect the natural environment and vital ecosystem services, and support trade by applying appropriate international phytosanitary measures.
so what’s the problem? Results of IPPC’s Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) have repeatedly shown there is inadequate capacity amongst African countries to apply international phytosanitary standards in their countries. This has led to crop loss during production and post-harvest, decreasing the continents ability to meet its targeted food security. Sufficient phytosanitary measures have also hindered Africa’s access to growing international trade particularly in horticultural produce.
KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
In order to protect agriculture at both country and pan-Africa level, the continent requires a coordinated phytosanitary capacity development approach. The desired level of African capacity can only be achieved through collaboration and partnerships between government, private sector and international organizations, both within countries and beyond – hence a Centre of Phytosanitary Excellence was established to address African phytosanitary capacity development in both public and private organizations. The project’s mandate was to establish a centre of phytosanitary excellence involving plant protection organizations, the private sector, government agencies and international bodies with an interest in plant health and international trade. These stakeholders designed and endorsed an institutional and management framework for running the centre, and developed a business plan including its services, activities and its sustainability.
results so far The project successfully put in place a framework and business plan for the centre which launched in 2010. It is currently providing a range of services to develop capacity in phytosanitary measures and offering training to plant health specialists from African countries, university courses, work attachments, as well as customized group and individual courses. The centre is also coordinating a network of pest risk analysts within the East African region and undertaking regional pest risk analysis. A secretariat managed by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) and the University of Nairobi (UoN) manages the Centre on behalf of its stakeholders.
www.cabi.org/cope partners The centre was developed by a team of experts from several African countries, and the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) University of Nairobi (UoN) Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives – Zambia Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Co-operatives – Tanzania The African Union’s Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC) The secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) The Netherlands Plant Protection Service (NPPS) USAID Regional Mission for East Africa FAO Regional Office for Africa sponsors The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
contact CABI, ICRAF Complex, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri, PO Box 633-00621, Nairobi, Kenya T: +254 20 72 24450 F: +254 20 71 22150 E: africa@cabi.org www.cabi.org/africa
ID-COPE-06-12
Florence Chege, Project Manager