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FRICAN UNION A


UNION AFRICAINE A

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UNIÃO AFRICANA A

Yaoundé, CAMEROUN P. O. Box 4170 Téléphone: 22 21 19 69 Fax :22 21 19 67 E-mail : au-cpi@au-appo.org 

NTER-AFRICAN PHYTOSANITARY COUNCIL CONSEIL PHYTOSANITAIRE INTERAFRICAIN I




FIRST QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT A

January 1ST - March 31ST, 2009


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Contents A A A A A 
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- Introduction............................. I 
I-Objectives for the period under review................... I 
I- Budget Programme 2008........................ I 
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Section Entomology I

- Harmonization of chemical pesticides regulations in Eastern and Southern Africa I

- Control phenomenon of the trans- boundary pest in Africa: Grain Eating Birds I

 (quelea sp.) invasions in Africa (phase I), I

Section Phytopathology I

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V- Budget Programme 2009 ........................ I

 IV- Phytosanitary information....................... I 
IVI- Cooperation with partners........................ I 
IVI- Missions............................... I 
IVI- Constraints.............................. I 
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X- Conclusion & Prospects........................ I 
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. ANTRODUCTION


The present quarterly report summarizes the activities carried out within the Inter-African 
Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC) under the cooperative actions of some National plant protection 
Organizations (NPPOs) of African countries and partners from January 1st to March 31st, 2009. It is 
mainly related to the regional project activities uncompleted last year (2008) due to delay in 
disbursing funds, and the elaboration of the 2009 annual work plan and detailed budget submitted to 
the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture. 
Moreover, in response to invitations from partners, IAPSC took part in different workshops and 
meetings held in and out of the continent. These three months of activity have been for IAPSC staff 
the period to start contacting key government officials, private sector, Regional Economic 
Communities officials, NGO entities, Research institutions and Universities under the geographic 
scope of 2009 approved projects. 

 I. OBJECTIVES FOR THE PERIOD UNDER REVIEW I 
I

The following were the objectives for the first quarterly report of January to march 2009: 

. Complete with the implementation of activities of the 2008 budget programme, 

. Elaborate the work plan and details budget for the four projects approved for the 2009 

budget programme for funds released. 

. Coordination of SPS, plant protection and quarantine activities in Africa for the stated 

period and report, 

. Cooperation / Collaboration with different partners. 

. BUDGET PROGRAMME 2008 I 
I

.1. Section Entomology I 
I- Harmonization of chemical pesticides regulations in Eastern and Southern Africa I 
IMeeting on the harmonization of pesticides regulations in Eastern and Southern Africa is part of the 
implementation phase of the IAPSC/AU strategic plan for the control of pesticide management in the 
different sub regions of the continent. The Addis Ababa meeting took place from 18 to 20 February 
2009 at the African Union Commission headquarters. It falls within the framework of the 
implementation of 2008 IAPSC/AU work programmes whose execution was delayed by the late 
disbursement of funds. 

Chaired by the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, the meeting was attended by 
delegates from 15 countries of these sub-regions, with support from three scientific experts from the 
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Gezira University Sudan, the Egyptian Ministry of 
Agriculture (Dokki, Giza) and the FAO-Ethiopia. 

To better enlighten participants on the different pesticides management systems, fifteen 
presentations were made during the meeting. Delegates from countries in turn handled the following 
aspects: 


-Government acts
-National regulations
-Constraints and
-Prospects in the management of pesticides in their countries.


The following findings were arrived at :


-Pesticides management systems are different from one country to another;
-Efforts by some countries are regularly dampened by other least advanced countries;
-Among the COMESA and SADC member countries, there are agreements on free trade, which are
not explicit enough regarding the pesticides exchange procedures;
-Control of the movement and use of pesticides in the two regions are essential to prevent
irreversible damage caused by misuse on human health, animal health and the environment;
-Eastern and Southern African countries have agreed to insert more than 80% of the activities,
regulations, and concepts in their laws;


The documents to facilitate the harmonization process have been prepared. They include:
-Three sheets to serve as a basic document in the harmonization process.
-A questionnaire was prepared and distributed to participants to be complete and returned to
IAPSC/AU.


Pending the effective harmonization of regulations in the two sub regions, a dozen recommendations
were made.


A follow-up committee for the pesticides harmonization regulations process in Eastern and Southern
Africa was set up. Its composition stands as followed.


1) Prof. Nabil Bashir of Sudan,
2) Prof. Salah Soliman of Egypt,
3) Kenya representative
4) Madagascar representative
5) IAPSC/AU representative as a member.


 I

- Control phenomenon of the trans- boundary pest in Africa: Grain Eating Birds I 
(quelea sp.) invasions in Africa (phase I), I 
I

The three months covered by this report have favoured the implementation of the last activity of this 
programme. 
There was a matter to prepare and design a brochure destined to National Plant Protection 
Organizations (NPPO), extension workers and especially peasants, to expand their choice of the 
most suitable control methods. 

As expected outcome of the programme, the brochure is a comprehensive collection of traditional 
techniques for grain eating birds control listed by the Interafrican Phytosanitary Council, together 
with a few pilot NPPOs of countries victim of birds and representative of different sub regions of 


Africa, notably in Mali, Botswana, Sudan, Chad and Cameroon. These techniques are the following; 
-Techniques for large catches, 
-Techniques for small catches 
-Repulsion technique and 
-Poisoning 

The brochure is at the printing stage. 
Also, for the Phase II, We start to collect the new data and visit Sudan for preparation of the 
workshop and training for the different countries in Sudan, and the Sudan Government give us some 
facilities to help us in our work, and we finish a draft programme for the training and still contact 
with the different countries for the date of training. 

.2. Section Phytopathology I 
I- Scoping study of impact of fumigation and inspection issues on the safe trade in plant and IPlant products in the economy of west and central African countries I

After the survey phase that took place in 2008 in five countries (Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, 
Ivory Coast and Nigeria) of the twenty, making up the project area, a three days restitution meeting 
was organized in Douala.Cameroon from March 11-12, 2009. The meeting was convened as a 
forum for reflection by members of the African countries where survey was conducted, experts and 
representatives of fumigation companies on ways of strengthening the African fumigation practice 
system. It was also an orientation exercise for IAPSC to create awareness among the member 
countries in general and countries of the project area in particular of the danger involved in 
fumigation when rules are not respected and for NPPOs to regulate the sector and enhance 
accreditation scheme for fumigation. 

This gathering gave also an opportunity for representatives of National Plant protection 
Organization (NPPO`s) and private sector to discuss on their respective roles and contribution in the 
fumigation of plant and plant products in their countries, to develop appropriate response to the 
questions rose during the survey and come up with strong recommendations for future action. 
Fifteen delegates, comprising representatives of countries where, survey was carried out in west and 
central African sub-regions and experts as well as organizers participated in the meeting. Resource 
persons were drawn from IAPSC, fumigations companies and NPPO of Cameroon. Prof. Bahama, 
Senior Scientific Officer-Phytopathologist as the moderator of the meeting presented the agenda and 
it was accepted with no modification. 

During the Opening remarks, the Director of IAPSC, Dr. Jean Gerard Mezui M`ella 
welcomed the participants and expressed delights to see a high level interest in the subject reflected 
in the attendance. He informed countries representatives that this meeting resulted from the survey 
on the scoping study of fumigation of plant and plant products carried out in five countries of west 
and central Africa notably Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. This was a solemn 
time for restitution. He estimated that problems rose during this survey will be examined by different 
experts present at the meeting and solution brought through their presentations and discussion 
sessions. 

The representative of the Regional Delegate of Agriculture for Littoral..expressed the desire 
to see the work of the meeting translated into the major outputs for the respective countries so that 


the fumigation methods should be improved in both sub-regions. The meeting will help to better 
address these issues of fumigation and enhance trade while reducing risk involved. He then declared 
open the meeting. 

Countries presentations, discussions and working group sessions focused on fumigations 
methods and techniques as they are being practiced in their respective countries with problem faced, 
regarding facilities, fumigants used and plant products submitted to fumigation prior for exportation 
and /or importation. Representative of Gabon and Ghana were absent even though invited. 

Mr. Nana Sani Flaubert presented the results of the survey carried out in different countries 
of the project area. The visit at SCHA Fumigation Company in Bonapriso Douala and at TELCAR 
cocoa Export Company in Bonaberi Douala was interesting. It was followed by a discussion in a hall 
at the Parfait Garden Hotel. Papers written by different experts were presented and centered on the 
Fumigation Management plans for farm agricultural products, Fumigation Security and Fumigant 
incident and Air Monitoring and respiratory protection, fumigation techniques; case of Cameroon, 
Fumigation safety, Crop storage Management and Enforcement concerns and fumigant use. 

Upon presentations and discussions, the delegations of the member states present recommend 
as follows: 

. While thanking the African Union for the initiative, we recommend the setting up of a 

harmonised regulatory framework in the sub-region especially concerning training modules, 

a fumigators manual, and phytosanitary inspection procedures; 

. The elaboration of a harmonised legal framework on plant protection for member states; 

. That similar workshops be organised in all sectors of plant protection. 

In the Closing remarks, the Director of IAPSC expressed his satisfaction on the way the 
meeting was conducted and wished to all participants safe journey to their various destinations. He 
then declared closed the first meeting in its kind on the fumigation of plant products in some 
countries of Africa. The local authorities of Cameroon working at the Douala port and the 
representative of the Director of Cameroon National Plant Protection and Regulation Organization 
were not left out. 

He finally congratulated the Parfait Garden Hotel management team for their hospitalities. 

 IV. BUDGET PROGRAMME 2009 I

In order to support the harmonization of agriculture policies within the Regional Economic 
Communities in Africa, four projects cost US$200,000 were approved in the 2009 budget 
programme. They include: 

. Strengthening continent-wide cassava protection initiatives against major diseases; 

. Updated spatial and temporal analysis of pests and plant diseases in Africa; 

. Meeting and training workshops for reclassification and improving integrated pest 

management and, 

. Control phenomenon of the transboundary pest in Africa: Grain Eating Birds (Quelea-sp 

invasions in Africa; Phase two. 

Careful consideration of the office, guidelines and specifications for these projects in terms of 
administrative procedures between IAPSC and DREA main office have been done; thus work plan 
and details budget have been elaborated and sent to the headquarters for budget release to ensure a 


sound, uninterrupted process towards the effective implementation and attainment of projects goals. 
Field operations that specifically address the projects expected results have been initiated. 

The mechanisms to monitor and evaluate results have also been put in place. As part of that 
process, cooperation and communication with country-partners and /or RECs are on-going for 
accurate implementation of different activities. Memorandums of understanding and sub-agreements 
with country partners and regional partners are already in drafting process. 

Finally, while waiting for the disbursement of the budget, papers work have been done. The 
general activities of each component and intermediate target and results will soon be achieved 
beginning the second quarterly period of 2009. Preparation for the holding of the 4th IAPSC Steering 
Committee has also begun and the dates and venue of this statutory meeting will soon be known. 

V. PHYTOSANITARY INFORMATION I

While bulletin 56 was published at the Headquarters, efforts still have to be made to publish 
bulletin no 57 and 58 respectively to cover the period concerned. 

Different African countries must be aware of the risk of spreading pests between countries 
and regions. The NPPO should be informed regularly on the phytosanitary situation so as to build be 
confidence on how to tackle these pests, improve trade of agricultural trade and ensure food security 
and safety. 

VI. COOPERATION WITH PARTNERS I

Information related to the Steering Committee of the PANSPSO project, the 4th meeting of 
East Africa Phytosanitary Information Committee, the 2d west Africa International plant diagnostic 
Network, the European Union Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) intensive training for officials of 
AUC, RECs and specialized bodies as well as to the meeting of experts committee for strengthening 
regional integration process in ECCAS and CEMAC countries are given below. 

VI.1. PANSPSO Steering Committee Meeting, Nairobi-Kenya, 1-5 Feb., 2009 I

The PAN-SPSO project has been established as a joint collaboration between the Europe 
Commission (EC) and the African Caribbean Pacific Group of States (ACP), on behalf of African 
RECs and being represented by the African Union Commission, to contribute to the reduction of 
poverty and enhanced food security in Africa through greater access for agricultural products 
(including livestock and fisheries) from African countries to international markets. The project is 
specifically aimed at improving the efficiency of the participation of African countries in the 
activities of the OIE, IPPC and Codex oAlimentariusoCommission during the formulation of 
international standards on food safety, animal and plant. Through the services of the African Union 
Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources and the Inter-African Phytosanitary Council the project 
works with Regional Economic Communities to strengthening the African countries to select, equip 
and support participants for effective participation in SPS standard setting meetings. 


A Steering Committee (SC) representing all the relevant key partners (donors/institutions) active in 
the area of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS) met in order to provide overall policy 
guidance and oversight of the project.s implementation. 
The Steering Committee provided strategic guidance for the project, approved work plans and 
budgets, endorsed project progress reports and verified the proposed programme estimates. 

VI.2. International Plant Diagnostic Network I West Africa (IPDN) Workshop in Bamako- IMali, February 16-20,2009. I

Invited to attend the workshop by USDA-APHIS Dakar, IAPSC was honoured to take part to 
this important forum so as to better apprehend what is going on in the field of plant diseases 
diagnosis and laboratories practices in West Africa. IAPSC is collaborating with the International 
Plant Diagnostic Network ..West Africa (IPDN) to improve plant disease diagnostic and insect 
identification ability in the region. Standard operating procedures being developed by IPDN can be 
used by ECOWAS member countries to standardize pest identification protocols and as a basis for 
harmonizing regional border inspection protocols. 

Through these collaborative activities, IAPSC is working to enhance food production and 
trading capacity in the region. During this second, regular meeting of its kind, the panel of experts 
focuses on diagnostic issues and the drafting of diagnostic protocols and related standards. 
Participants were enriched by the quality of presentations and hopefully they will train national 
officials upon return to their countries. 

VI.3. The 4th East Africa Phytosanitary Information Committee (EAPIC) Workshop, Kigali-IRwanda, March 3-6, 2009. I

Invited by the USDA-APHIS East Africa office, / USAID, IAPSC has taken part for the 
second time to the EAPIC meeting. Recognizing that, Plant pest database development is not a static 
activity, the East Africa Phytosanitary Information Committee (EAPIC) was formed in Nairobi in 
April, 2006, during a pest risk assessment meeting of East African NPPOs. It is developing a 
regional plant pest database for agricultural pest information sharing among its respective NPPO 
member countries, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. 

A goal of the committee has been to develop pest reporting methods and Internet accessible 
databases in support of sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for East Africa that are compliant 
with IPPC protocols and linked to East Africa.s trade and customs databases and web sites. EAPIC 
databases will compliment trade initiatives in East Africa and help prioritise plant pest activities in 
the region for pest diagnosis, survey, detection, reporting, and inspection. During the meeting 
EAPIC examined different topics of interest in the region notably: pest surveillance, pest 
identification and communication and updated a pest list, which are essential ingredients of a valid 
pest database as well as components of an early warning system to safeguard food production and 
environmental resources. It gets support from FAO which collaborates in the development of pest 
databases through its funding of an EAPIC Program Manager for a two-year period. Besides 
Participants from the region IAPSC and Representatives of the IPPC Secretariat attend EAPIC 
meetings and participate in the development of this initiative. 
I 
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VI.4. IThe IMeeting Iof Ithe IAfrican IFocus IGroup Ifor Ithe IPhytosanitary ICapacity IBuilding IStrategy Nairobi, Kenya from 18-20 March 2009. 
I

This Focus Group Meeting was held under the Project Preparation Grant (PPG) provided by the 
Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) to The InterAfrican Phytosanitary Council 
(IAPSC) of the African Union (Project STDF 232). The objective of the PPG is to develop a full 
sized project on a Phytosanitary Capacity Buildng Strategy for Africa. The meeting was held at the 
Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS). 

The participants were welcomed by Dr. Chagema Kedera, Managing Director of KEPHIS, and Vice 
Chair of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) of the International Plant Protection 
Convention (IPPC). He noted the importance of phytosanitary capacity building in Africa, and 
emphasized that National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) must actively engage with policy 
processes to ensure phytosanitary issues are understood and so allocated resources with their 
significance in the economy of many African nations. It was noted that the IPPC.s Open-Ended 
Working Group on Building National Phytosanitary Capacity (OEWG-BNPC) had identified 
advocacy as a key strategy area. 

There were six national representatives, selected to cover the different regions of Africa, both 
Francophone and Anglophone countries, and including those with experience of the IPPC, CPM and 
the OEWG-BNPC. The invited participant from Zambia was unable to attend, and was replaced with 
a participant from Tanzania, another SADC country. 

Regional Economic Communities (RECs) were invited to attend at their own expenses but none was 
able to participate. The IPPC secretariat was unable to attend but the FAO Regional Plant Protection 
Officer for Africa attended. Two private sector organizations accepted invitations though the 
Horticultural Association of Africa didn.t participate in the end. 

 IScope of the strategy I

The technical scope of the strategy will be guided by the scope of the International Plant 
Protection Convention, the approach used by the OEWG-BNPC. 
The strategy follows the draft definition of phytosanitary capacity developed by the OEWG, and will 
take account of recent work on the subject of capacity and capacity development, which emphasizes 
capacity as the property of a system. In particular, the recently completed 5 year study by the 
European Centre for Development Policy Management identifies five core capabilities which enable 
a system to perform effectively. 

The strategy covers all the countries of the African Union, but it is recognized that different 
countries have, and aspire to, different levels of phytosanitary capacity. 

The strategy is being developed under the auspices of the IAPSC, but it is a strategy for Africa, not 
for a particular organization. Major stakeholders in the strategy include the National Plant Protection 
Organizations, The Regional Economic Communities, as well as producers, importers and exporters 


of agricultural produce. Further development and implementation of the strategy will therefore aim 
to develop broad consensus and ownership. 

Objectives and strategy areas I

The overall goals to which the strategy will contribute are: 

. Food security in Africa 

. Protection of plants, plant products and biodiversity 

. Facilitation of safe trade 

Eight draft priority areas have been identified. The first five relate to the mobilization, development 
and maintenance of the appropriate resources and enabling environment; the latter three concern 
specific areas of function: 

1. Awareness, advocacy, resource mobilization 
2. Policy, legislation, regulation 
3. Roles and mandates of regional and sub-regional organizations 
4. Human resources 
5. Infrastructure, facilities, equipment 
6. Surveillance, emergency response, risk analysis 
7. Import and export control systems 
8. Standard setting and implementation 
Monitoring and evaluation of capacity and its development is not listed separately as it is necessary 
in all strategy areas. It is expected that both quantitative and qualitative indicators will be required, 
to assess the different aspects of capacity. 
A full proposal will be drawn and sent to Headquarters for funds mobilization. I 
IVI.5. Meeting of the Committee of Experts of the ECA/BSR-AC, Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, IMarch 30- April 3, 2009. I

The Committee of Experts of the ECA/BSR-AC held in Malabo in Republic of Equatorial 
Guinea, enriched a debate around the socio-economic question of development and regional 
integration in Central Africa. The question of internal resources mobilization through fiscal policy 
reform constituted another hot debate. Of these discussions it appeared that certain countries are 
more advanced than others in the implementation of fiscal policies. The roundtable was an occasion 
for experts to share experience on fiscal policies on resource mobilization. Participants came up with 
a number of recommendations to be presented to the up-coming conference of ministers for 
integration and economic planning and development. The participation of Mr. nana Sani from 
IAPSC as expert to this meeting, was a solemn moment to share our experience, understand 
problems facing ECCAS and CEMAC as integration institution for Central Africa so as to better 
elaborated future SPS projects which may help to enhance integration, facilitate agricultural trade 
and promote development of countries of the region and enable them to fulfil some of the 2015 
Millennium Development Goals, 

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VI.6. European Union Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Intensive Training for Officials of the IAUC, RECs and Specialised bodies, Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, March 30-April 2, 2009. I 
I

During this workshop the presentation of the better training for safer food programme and 
specific activities in Africa was the main focus. Experts from different institutions especially 
European Union took time to present select themes approved for the training of trainers which 
comprised: 

. Harmonisation of trade procedures and principles that involved the presentation of the 

WTO/SPS Agreement, 

. The role of international standards setting bodies with emphasis on the role of CODEX, 

. The role of international standards setting bodies, 

. The EU harmonization experience that included the international market, 

. The EU import procedures, 

. Compliance infrastructure, traceability and risk management which comprise TRACES, 

Alert system, PRA and the testing, calibration, certification and accreditation, 

. The regional animal and plant disease control programmes with experiences of AU/IAPSC 

and AU/IBAR, 

. The Regional Integration and harmonization of SPS Measures, 

. Public health which focus on international health regulations and frameworks, 
Each of the above themes presentation was followed by discussion to enable participants to better 
understand the topic. 

VI. MISSONS I 
ICPM meeting I 
I

The 4th Session of the CPM took place in Rome from 30 March to 3 April 2009. Many items were on
the agenda and were discussed.
The following goals were set for this meeting:


-A robust international standard setting and implementation programme


-Information exchange systems appropriate to meet IPPC obligations


-Effective dispute settlement systems


-Improved phytosanitary capacity of members


-Sustainable implementation of the IPPC


-International promotion of the IPPC and cooperation with relevant regional and international 
organizations 

-Review of the status of plant protection in the world 
During this meeting, IAPSC ceased the opportunity to speak more generally about IAPSC and more 
specifically about Phytosanitary Capacity Building which is of major concern to Africa (more so 
than in other regions). The Director brought together the representatives of African countries in 
order to harmonize their positions about keys items on agenda. 


The CPM4 made it clear that IAPSC has a key role to play in African phytosanitary system. It was 
therefore agreed that IAPSC be the only interlocutor of IPPC for Africa. 

 IVI. CONSTRAINTS I

After four months since the acceptance of the 2009 budget program, the office still to implement its 
activities. IAPSC has requested funds from the headquarters and will be grateful if they could be 
disbursed. 

Phytosanitary exchange between the IAPSC and member states is not enough due to insufficient 
communication network of member countries. 

Finally the qualified staff at IAPSC is not enough and there is an urgent need of a recruitment of 
more technical staff. 

X. CONCLUSON AND PROSPECTS I

According to the results of our survey as well as to the recommendations from the workshop held on
fumigation and inspection issues on safe trade in agricultural commodities in the economy of west
and central African countries, there is a need of harmonisation of regulatory framework in the sub-
region especially concerning training modules, fumigators manual, and phytosanitary inspection
procedures. This would be extended to other aspects of plant protection and be given a priority.


The IAPSC must look seriously on the transboundary pests which is becoming major problem.
Equally the development of regional strategies against the introduction, establishment and spread of
plant pathogens, noxious weeds and stationary/migratory pests for all agroecology areas of Africa
are important to continuously be looked into.
Strengthening the relationships between IAPSC and RECs is also of high priority. Therefore,
emphasis will be put to activities involving Recs for their implementation.