Sanitary & Phyto-sanitar Capacity Evaluation of The Gambia, Ghana and N Summary Technical Report No. 5

MARCH 2005

This publication was produced for review by the UnInternational Development. It was prepared by KofAgricultural Trade Specialist.

y

igeria

ited States Agency for i HUMADO, WATH

Sanitary & Phyto-sanita Capacity Evaluation of The Gambia, Ghana and Summary Technical Report No. 5

DISCLAIMER

The author’s views expressed in this publication do notviews of the United States Agency for International DevUnited States Government

ry

Nigeria

necessarily reflect the elopment or the

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS AG Attorney General CODEX or CAC Codex Alimentarius Commission DFID Department for International Development of the United Kingdom ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GMO Genetically Modified Organisms GSB Ghana Standards Board GTZ Germany Development Organization HACCP Hazard Analysis for Critical Control Points IPPC International Plant Protection Convention ISPM International Standards for Phyto-sanitary Measures LMO Living Modified Organisms MDAs Ministries, Departments and Agencies NaNA National Nutrition Agency (The Gambia) NIS Nigerian Industrial Standards NPPO National Plant Protection Organization OIE International Office of Epizooties PRA Pest Risk Assessment SON Standards Organization of Nigerian SPS Phyto-Sanitary Harmonization Agreement UEMOA Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine US United States WATH West Africa Trade Hub WTO World Trade Organization

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction … … … … … … … … … 1 2.0 Methodology … … … … … … … … 2 3.0 Main Findings… … … … … … … … 2 3.1. Overview of Legislative & Regulatory Framework … … 2 3.1.1 General Features of Existing Legislation … … 2 3.1.2 Focus of On-going Legislation Review … 3 3.1.3 Status of Legislation for NPPOs … … … 4 3.1.4 Status of Legislation for National Food Safety Organizations 5 3.1.5 Status of Legislation for National Animal Health Institutions 5 3.1.6 Status of Legislation for national Fisheries Institutions … 5

3.2 SPS Institutional Structure and Human Resource … … 5 3.2.1 Institutional Structure and Functions … … … 5 3.2.2 Human Resource … … … … … 6 3.2.3 Infrastructure … … … … … … 7 3.2.4 Financial Resources … … … … … 7 3.3 Pests and Disease Diagnostic Capabilities … … … 7 3.4 Pest Risk Analysis … … … … … … 8 3.5 Surveillance and Exotic Pests/ Disease Response … … 8 3.6 Inspection Systems at Entry and Exit Points … … … 9 3.6.1 Overview … … … … … … 9 3.6.2 Export Certification … … … … … 9 3.6.3 Documentation and Information Communication… … 9

3.7 Membership of International Organizations … … … … 10 3.7.1 Membership & Participation … … … … 10 3.7.2 Operation of Notification Points & Enquiry Points … 10 3.2.3 Views on Regional SPS Harmonization … … 10 4.0 Summary of Training Needs … … … … … 12 ANNEXES 1.0 Profile on Phyto-sanitary Norms in The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria 2.0 Profile on Food Safety Norms in The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria 3.0 Profile on Zoo-sanitary Norms in The Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria

1.0 Introduction Harmonization of sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) standards and measures in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is intended to increase market access of agricultural products into the global trading system, increase safety of consumers of agricultural food products as well as minimize the introduction of foreign pests and diseases into the farming systems of its member states. In this regard, the Union Economique et Monétaire Ouest Africaine (UEMOA) 1, a regional organization of eight contiguous, Francophone, countries in West Africa that share a common currency, commenced a program of SPS harmonization in early 2003 in three SPS areas namely (a) consumer food safety norms, (b) animal health norms and (c) plant health norms. The harmonization program focuses on preparation of the legislative framework and associated treaties, training of officials to interpret and implement the treaties, and reinforcement of quality-control laboratories. The efforts of UEMOA have, however, not taken into account SPS harmonization needs of West African countries outside it, of which Nigeria, Ghana and Guinea form a large share of the region’s population, market and trade. Unlike the situation within UEMOA countries, each of the 2non-UEMOA countries uses separate currencies. Four of the countries were under British colonial administration and use English as the official medium of expression, while French and Portuguese are the official languages of Guinea and Guinea Bissau respectively. All non-UEMOA countries lie along the Gulf of Guinea where fish and seafood products as well as production of tropical agricultural crops play a major role in their export economies. On the other hand, livestock production is mainly for local consumption and not considered important in their export economies. The West Africa Trade Hub (WATH) sees an opportunity to support ECOWAS regional economic integration by assisting the on-going UEMOA SPS harmonization process, as well as initiating a similar process for the remaining non-UEMOA West Africa.

1 Member Countries are Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin and Chad. 2 The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria.

2.0 Methodology To this end, WATH undertook an SPS Capacity Evaluation Study in the English speaking Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria, using SPS capacity evaluation tools designed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Office International des Epizooties (OIE) and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). Interviews and discussions were held with national SPS institutions and other partners such as FAO and US Missions. The evaluation study focused on four SPS institutions in each country responsible for Consumer Food Safety, Animal Health/ Fish Health and Plant Health. The thematic areas studied are:

SPS Legislative and Regulatory Framework SPS Institutional Capacity and Human Resource Skills Pest and Disease Diagnostic capabilities Pest Risk Analysis Capacity Surveillance and Exotic Pest and Disease Response Capacity Inspection systems Export Certification Systems SPS Documentation and information communication through Enquiry Points Views on West African SPS Harmonization

The objective of the study is to identify the main features of the SPS systems in non-UEMOA West Africa as a basis for preparing an SPS strategy that would lead to the total integration of the SPS systems of ECOWAS member states.

3.0 Main Findings

3.1 Overview of the Legislative & Regulatory Framework 3.1.1 General Features of Existing Legislation Laws and regulations establishing SPS institutions in the countries studied date back to the colonial administrative era. These laws remained relatively the same in the statute books except for occasional amendments of sections since countries’ respective political independence. At the international level, however, major changes took place with respect to improvement in international standards for food safety, plant and animal health set by the WTO three sister organizations, CAC, IPPC and OIE. Towards the end of the nineties, a large disparity emerged between the SPS standards of the three countries studied and those of the international standard setting organizations. The need for new laws to replace the old ones therefore became evident.

General features of existing legislation on food safety, plant health and animal health in the countries studied are the following: • SPS legislation is characterized by several uncoordinated, piecemeal and

fragmented Acts under several Ministries and Departments (MDAs). The area most affected is food safety, where no single institutional legislation addresses food control in its entirety.

• Laws are out of date with current international standards, particularly on requirements for exports and international trade.

• SPS institutional structures in the three countries inadequately address the new functional demands of the international standard setting institutions. Furthermore, the positions of the SPS institutions within their respective ministries vary from country to country. In the Gambia, the Veterinary Public Health and Plant Quarantine are units under their Agricultural Extension Service and Livestock Services of the agricultural ministry respectively. In Ghana, the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) is a full Department within the agricultural ministry.

• Terminologies used in the law for national institutions and functions are not the same as those used by the international standard setting bodies.

• Due to the relative importance of the fishery sub-sector in non-UEMOA West African countries, a separate ministry handles fish and seafood health norms and standards separately from animal health standards.

• There are overlaps in the responsibilities of NPPOs, Veterinary Public Health and Standards Organizations. However, the general trend is for Standards Organizations to focus on processed foods while the NPPOs and Veterinary Public Health deal with fresh crops and live animals/carcasses.

• Laws and their enforcement do not adequately reflect new institutional requirements of the IMF/World Bank for decentralization and devolution of roles and responsibilities of MDAs to Local Government structures.

3.1.2 Focus of On-going Review The three countries studied, commenced a process of legislative review, albeit at a slow pace in some cases with the assistance of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Country Missions. Priority was placed on Plant Protection, Fisheries and Food Safety Legislation and Standards while Animal Health institutions received less priority. Enactment of the new laws is held up by inadequate capacity at the Attorney General’s Departments to handle SPS legislation. What is now required is for the process to be expedited at the Attorney General’s Department of the various countries to enable early adoption of these laws by their legislative bodies. On-going legislative review focuses on the following features: • The legal and regulatory framework optimizes resources by coordinating Enquiry

Point and Notification Operations of the various SPS institutions and reduces fragmentation of authority between national ministries, or departments within ministries.

• The national legislation adopts WTO/SPS terminologies, definitions, and concepts. • Legal powers are adequate for search and seizure and obligations of Customs

Services to report to SPS national agencies.

• The Law prescribes powers to National Ministers through their respective departmental heads to cause review of national regulations and procedures without necessarily going back to parliament.

• The legal framework provides deterrent levels of penalties. • The law makes provision for establishment of Notification Authority and National

Enquiry Points. • The law provides for transparency and access by interested parties to information on

laws and regulations. • The law provides for equity in treatment of local and foreign products in terms of fees

levied for permits, certificates and other services. • It provides for the existence of equivalence measures to minimize conflicts and

reduce the need for trade arbitration. 3.1.3 Status of Legislation for National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) In 1997, The IPPC revised its International Standards for Phyto-sanitary Measures (ISPMs) and provided a new legal and regulatory framework to guide its member countries. The revision was undertaken to reflect contemporary phyto-sanitary concepts and the role of the IPPC in relation to the Uruguay Round Agreements of the World Trade Organization, particularly the Agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement). The deadline set for member countries to adopt these provisions in their national laws is October 2005. In 1997, The Gambia revised its phyto-sanitary law and submitted it to the Attorney General’s Department. However, it remains to be reviewed and submitted to parliament. In Ghana, a new draft law was prepared with assistance of GTZ and FAO and submitted in 2002 to the Attorney General for their comments and is also yet to be laid before parliament to be passed into law. In 2003 the FAO assisted the Plant Quarantine Service of Nigeria to review its law in line with international standards. The new draft law was submitted to the Attorney General in 2004 and is yet to be debated and approved in parliament. What is common with the three countries is the delay at the Attorney General’s Department that does not appear to have the required expertise on SPS legislation. As of the end of July 2004, none of the new laws of the three countries on plant health has been passed by parliament in order to meet the deadline of October 2005 for ratification of the new IPPC law. On the other hand, IPPC has a legal department that assists NPPOs in the review of draft laws. It is important that the AG in the respective countries forge effective working relations with the legal department of the IPPC and other sister organizations in order to expedite legislative review. 3.1.4 Status of Legislation for National Food Safety Organizations At the international level, new developments on food safety have taken place. For example, the new European Union General Food Law requires EU food companies to

have fully operational tracking and tracing systems by January 2005. However, most developing countries are yet to become aware of this and other similar requirements. In the Gambia, the food safety law was revised with assistance from FAO and international consultants. The laws are presently with the Attorney General for their comments and submission to parliament for debate and passing into law. In Ghana and Nigeria, new laws reflecting international standards have been promulgated in parliament and are being implemented. 3.1.5 Status of Legislation for National Animal Health Institutions In Gambia and Ghana, the Veterinary Public Health institutions started a legal review by themselves since 1998 without assistance from any development partner. These have been submitted to parliament but are yet to be debated and approved into law. On the whole, zoo-sanitary norms have received less attention probably due to the little role played in the export economy of these countries. 3.1.6 Status of Legislation for National Fishery Institutions In all three countries, the Fisheries Law is separate from the Veterinary Public Health Law. It was noted that in The Gambia and Ghana, the Fisheries Law has been revised with the assistance of FAO and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and has been debated and passed into law. The provisions of the laws are adequately harmonized with international standards and address crucial areas required for facilitating international trade.

3.2 SPS Institutional Structure and Human Resource 3.2.1 Institutional Structure and Functions Food safety is increasingly becoming a food chain issue, and plant and animal health at the primary production level can impinge upon safety of the final food product. As a result, new food safety organizations appear to be responding to what might have been a fragmented approach to food safety. New SPS institutional re-structuring now tends to cover the entire food chain within a single agency or authority. As a result of these new challenges, retailers now shift responsibilities for food safety backwards in the supply chain towards the producer. All international supply chain companies are forced to comply with the latest product and process requirements with regards to food safety and chain transparency. Traceability and therefore tracking and tracing systems now form a critical part of those requirements. The impact of these developments is likely to lead importing countries and companies to select countries that already have a relatively high infrastructure (efficient SPS institutions, certification boards, research institutes, laboratories, export boards etc). These may make entry into new markets or even keeping existing markets difficult for developing countries that are too far away from meeting the new demands. It has therefore become important to make traceability part of the legal framework and policy with regards to increasing the country’s competitive

position, guaranteeing food supply in the region, and local sustainable entrepreneurship. The structure of institutions charged with responsibility for SPS varies among the three countries and does not adequately reflect current functional demands of WTO, IPPC, OIE and CAC. The establishment of the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) in The Gambia as an autonomous body is an effort to remove the previously overlapping responsibilities of national and sub-national authorities and the sectoral bias of nutrition being either a health or an agricultural issue. Despite the current trend for adopting structures compatible with functional demands of international standards setting agencies, poorly financed countries in West Africa may opt for small coordination offices with government support to perform similar functions. The draft law now regards food safety as an issue of development with all stakeholders being partners to ensure proper accountability in the food system and enhance import and export trade in food and food products. This re-structuring also addresses the emerging new concept to recognize SPS as a food supply chain issue. The study also examined the position of each SPS institution within its parent ministry. In the Gambia and Nigeria, the NPPO is a unit under the Agricultural Extension Services and not a department of its own. Similarly, the Veterinary Public Health is a unit under the Livestock Services in The Gambia. The Standards Organization of Nigeria and the Standards Board of Ghana are quasi-autonomous organizations under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Apart from overlaps in mandate, there is also poor coordination among SPS institutions. This stems from the process of evolution where NPPOs and Veterinary Public Health institutions pre-date the establishment of Standards Organizations. Legislation could review such overlaps and harmonize new legislation accordingly to minimize duplication of efforts. 3.2.2 Human Resources Human resources and skills also vary from country to country; skill levels and staff qualifications vary greatly. These factors affect the capacity of institutions to implement SPS measures. Generally, capability in the standards organizations such as the Ghana Standards Board (GSB) and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has been found to be satisfactory. Human resource audits reveal difficulties in retaining scientific staff in technical positions. There is generally a shortage of skilled manpower at the senior and middle levels for key positions. At sub-national levels, IMF/World Bank Public Sector Reforms limit the number of staff. The overall shortage of manpower has affected geographic distribution and effectiveness of field operations at sub-national levels. Human Resource development and training programs are in place, but need to be upgraded.

3.2.3 Infrastructure Infrastructure is generally inadequate in terms of laboratory equipment and materials export examination and certification. The following are noted to require improvement: • Improve the stock of inspection equipment at entry and exit points, particularly

airport cargo sections. • Improve communications between stations and head offices to enable laboratory

test results to be quickly communicated to exporters and importers. • Improve transport at all levels to improve emergency livestock and plant disease

response, disease surveillance and control. • Improve the capacity of laboratories to analyze chemical residues such as cadmium

in rice. • Improve facilities for basic pest diagnostic laboratories, fumigation facilities and

equipment, particularly at pre-entry points and post-entry laboratories. • Establish permanent offices and facilities at the international airports and Customs

areas for SPS institutions. 3.2.4 Financial Resources All SPS institutions have budgetary inadequacies but seem to have managed pretty well. All institutions generate revenue from export and import permits and other services. However, the treasury system operated in these countries does not allow any of these institutions to directly use these revenues, since such funds are channeled into the Consolidated Fund. On the other hand, the capacity for emergency response to disease situations depends on availability of easily accessible funds. All the countries studies have put in a case to government for some percentage of internally generated funds to be used for emergency disease response.

3.3 Pest and Disease Diagnostic Capabilities Human resources are generally inadequate in the national SPS institutions concerned with Plant Protection and Veterinary Public Health. This is particularly evident at the senior professional levels with respect to Virologists, Mycologists, Nematologists, Bacteriologists and Weed Science experts. These professionals are however available in the research institutions, standards organizations and the universities where more attractive remunerations are offered. Stock and quality of laboratory equipment and materials for pest and disease diagnosis are also generally inadequate and require re-stocking and training of staff in using new equipment. Laboratory analysis techniques used are standard universally and would not be different from those used in Francophone West Africa. It is noted, however, that the capacity with respect to human resources, equipment and materials is generally more satisfactory in Food Safety organizations than it is in the other two sub-sectors.

Areas identified for human resource development for SPS institutions include training in laboratory residue chemical analysis for pesticides, veterinary drugs, and mycotoxins. 3.4 Pest Risk Analysis Apart from The Gambia, the other two countries studied had some staff trained in PRA through USDA-APHIS. However, since their training, only Ghana was able to submit three crops for PRA with APHIS-USDA in 2003 and 2004. These are eggplant (Solanum melongena) with PRA number 00639, mango (Magnifera indica) with PRA number 00644 and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) with PRA number 00640. Continuous in-country support and training for PRA teams is required to get them off the ground. It is also identified that they lack the required equipment and facilities for information search such as CLIMEX and GIS (MapInfo). General upgrading of appropriate software will be required.

3.5 Surveillance and Exotic Pests/ Disease Response Generally, surveillance systems for NPPOs are much weaker than those of Veterinary Public Health. Data on plant and livestock pests is not properly collated and related to specific plants and livestock. None of the institutions in the three countries maintains any efficient database of plant and animal pest records. Lists of pests for which free areas, places of production and sites of production have been declared are not available. There is need for training to improve capability in information documentation, and computerization of databases on plants and animal pests, and numbers of crops and livestock surveyed. Training is also required for the surveillance teams, and a coordinator needs to be identified to head these activities. Equipment for surveillance also needs improvement. 3.6 Inspection Systems at Entry and Exit Points 3.6.1 Overview Generally, airports and seaports have adequate coverage and representation of staff of the four SPS institutions. However, with respect to land border checkpoints, the numbers of checkpoints are viewed as inadequate in each country. Land borders are very porous and require greater attention with respect to control of pests and diseases of agricultural products. Examination of export/import data from land border checkpoints shows that an active informal trade takes place between neighbouring countries in the sub-region. Apart from bulky products that are passed through most border checkpoints and recorded, smaller products are smuggled across without phyto-sanitary and zoo-sanitary inspection and permits and are therefore not recorded. The danger to plant protection for neighbouring countries producing similar crops arises from these

smuggled items that are not inspected. Smuggling is done mainly for perishable goods and livestock to avoid delays and corruption from uniformed officers. This requires massive public education and measures by governments to minimize delays and corruption at border crossings. Post-entry inspection and diagnostic laboratories, equipment and facilities also need improvement. In some cases such as in Ghana and Nigeria, such post-entry centers are quite far from the entry/exit points. Communication facilities and transport are a problem and result in delays in communicating laboratory sample analysis results to exporters and importers. Generally, it was observed that offices for SPS institutions at airports and seaports are temporary arrangements without any security of tenure. Offices are not well furnished with the appropriate furniture, inspection tables, lighting, lenses etc. It would be necessary to mandate the Civil Aviation and Port authorities to ensure that permanent offices are provided to these SPS institutions. 3.6.2 Export Certification Generally, export certification systems are satisfactory and follow formats and standards of IPPC, OIE and CAC. Areas that need greater attention are measures to improve post inspection and certification monitoring to ensure that seals to containers are not tampered with or goods interfered with. 3.6.3 Documentation and Information Communication The situation is variable, however, with respect to documentation, which is generally poor for Plant Protection and Animal Health SPS institutions, while that of Food Safety and Standards Organizations is generally good. The following are noted for general improvement: • Publication of information brochures and fliers on the structure and functions of the

SPS institutions. • Development of manuals for surveillance, pest listing, PRA, pest diagnosis, and pest

free areas. • Establishment of internal audit, self-assessment and reporting systems. • Formulation of a strategic plan for future development and direction of the

organization. • Improvement of national SPS database systems and progressive computerization of

all information sources, which should then be networked to zones and stations within each country.

3.7 Membership of International Organizations and Participation in Conferences

3.7.1 Membership and Participation Nigeria and Ghana are OIE members. The Gambia is not a member of the OIE but communicates disease information through WHO to OIE. IPPC members are Ghana and Nigeria, but again The Gambia is not a member. On the other hand, all three countries belong to Codex Alimentarius Commission. The three SPS institutions in each country indicated their inability to attend international conferences on standards. This does not enable them to influence WTO and regional policy. The need for funding to enable SPS institutions and organizations to participate effectively in WTO conferences is therefore vital. 3.7.2 Operation of Notification and Enquiry Points Generally, all SPS institutions undertake notification either directly to their corresponding international standard setting bodies or through proxy institutions. On the other hand, enquiry points are only established in the standard organizations in the three countries on behalf of all three SPS institutions. The need for collaboration between all SPS institutions for collation of responses to enquiries is paramount. Furthermore, there is need for collation of data on rejections of exported products and its analysis to serve as a feedback for better control and supervision of production systems in the respective countries. This would require inter-ministerial collaboration to achieve a reasonable level of coordination. 3.7.3 Views on Harmonization of SPS Norms in ECOWAS All SPS institutions contacted were positive about the benefits of regional harmonization. Key issues mentioned as a basis for evolving regional harmonization are as follows: • Need to harmonize regulated pesticide lists of member countries. • Harmonization of standards and regulations regarding emerging issues such as

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and Living Modified Organisms (LMOs). Presently, GMOs are being used in France and Spain with the possibility of the EU approving their use in other EU countries. There is need for ECOWAS to insist on labeling of GMOs and LMOs from exporting countries to enable importing countries to undertake verification and certification before products are released for public consumption.

• Harmonization will enable equivalence measures to be agreed upon for countries whose capacities and resources are low.

• West African harmonization will present ECOWAS as a trade block and will minimize dumping of inferior and dangerous plant and animal products and pests into West Africa. Presently, those countries in West Africa where standards are weak are becoming entry points for GMOs and LMOs and dangerous pesticides into ECOWAS. Once these products gain entry into one country, they spread by land routes to neighbouring countries.

• The three countries advocate the formation of a West African Standards Authority around which harmonization of standards would evolve. Standards Organizations in Nigeria and Ghana could serve as the hub for West Africa. The introduction of an ECOWAS seal of quality was also advocated.

• Harmonization will enable region-wide pest-free areas and production areas to be established across national boundaries and result in a more effective control and surveillance of plant health in West Africa.

• Regional control of phyto-sanitary measures will increase product sourcing by trading partners from any member country of the ECOWAS since these would be guaranteed by the ECOWAS certification.

• It will also result in better use of regional facilities. Poorer countries may rely on facilities in richer West African countries for research and other post-entry quarantine activities. Multiplication of disease-free planting material through tissue culture could also be done at regional facilities and distributed to member countries.

• Harmonization should find solutions to the danger posed by non-declaration of agricultural products by traders in the informal sector. This requires massive public education and awareness creation on the part of ECOWAS members.

4.0 Summary of Training Needs The following training needs have been catalogued as areas deserving attention. • Inadequate knowledge about importing countries’ phyto-sanitary requirements, thus

leading to low capacity for pre-entry measures. While a few individuals of SPS institutions received training in Pest Risk Assessment, however, operational national PRA teams have not been established in the various SPS institutions.

• There are a lack of pest surveillance and monitoring programs, poor capacity for

pest diagnostics and specimen keeping, particularly on animal diseases of continuous importance, which include Black Quarter (BQ), Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS), Anthrax, Sheep and goat pox. Emerging diseases include Rift Valley Fever Rinderpest, Contagious Bovine Pleuro-pneumonia (CBPP), Peste des Petit Ruminant (PPR), African Swine Fever (ASF), Newcastle Disease (NCD). Plant diseases include fruit flies “bemicia tabaci”, and nematodes in yams. For processed food, microbial spoilage is the main problem.

• Inadequately documented procedures and operational manuals on PRA to link systems for import permits and export certification.

• Unsatisfactory computerized information retrieval system for export/import inspection services. Lack of appropriate software such as Palisade@Risk, Climex, CABI-Global Compendium, Microsoft Office XP. Lack of information sources in the form of journals and CABI-CD ROM.

• Poor communication facilities, poor Internet services, delays and incomplete response to enquiries from trading partners. Apart from the Standards Organization of Nigeria, other organizations do not have operational official websites.

ANNEXES

ANNEX 1 PHYTO-SANITARY NORMS

FACT SHEET FOR SPS CAPACITY EVALUATION FOR NIGERIA, GHANA AND THE GAMBIA PHYTO-SANITARY NORMS

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA

AGRICULTURAL POTENTIAL Total Land Area 11,295 sp km 238,637 sq km 923,773 sq km Total land under agriculture 400,000 HA 1,800,000 HA Key agricultural export commodities Groundnuts, Fish & Seafood,

Horticultural crops Cocoa, Horticultural crops, Yams, Processed fish products

Cocoa, Horticultural crops, Yams, Processed fish products, sugar cane

Human Population 1.42 million (2001 estimates) 20.5 million (2002 estimates) 116.p million (2001 estimates) GDP Growth Rate (2002) 3% 4.3% 2.9% % contribution of agriculture to GDP 38% 36% 40% Percent labour force in agriculture 80% 60% Major trading partners in Plant & Plant Products: Exports

UK, EU UK, EU UK, EU

Major trading partners in Plant & Plant Products: Imports

UK, EU UK, EU UK, EU

PHYTOSANITARY LEGISLATION

Date of current Act “Plant Importation & Regulation Act” 1936

“The Prevention and Control of Pests and Diseases of Plants ACT 307 – 1965

“Control of Importation Act – 1959

Amendments to the Act Amended in 1963 and 1965 “Prevention of Damage by Pests Act”

Amended in 1972 to include seed inspection and certification

Amended in 1970

Status of Act Under Review based on IPPC standards since 1998

Under Review based on IPPC standards since 2000

Under Review based on IPPC standards

Designated Responsible National Institution

Plant Quarantine and Pest Control Unit Plant Protection and Regulatory Services

Plant Quarantine and Pest Control Services

Cooperating Development Partners & Type of Assistance

FAO TCP/GAM 0166 (A) Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia

GTZ, USAID-CCARD, and FAO FAO-TCP/NIR/0165 (A)

Bilateral Quarantine Arrangements operational

NIL NIL NIL

Bilateral Quarantine Arrangements – Negotiation in progress

NIL NIL NIL

COUNTRY SITUATION

THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIASPS INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY Institutional Structure Status of NPPO within Ministry Unit within Agricultural Extension

Services of Ministry of Agriculture Full Department within the Ministry of Agriculture

Full Department within Ministry of Agriculture

Geographical Coverage Rated Adequate: 7 land Stations, 2 Ports Need for suitable permanent offices at Ports

Rated adequate 7 International Airports, 7 Seaports, 33 Land Border Stations

General HR Position Rated 45 % of requirement at all levels. Improvement for senior and middle levels

Rated 65%. Improvement needed in senior and middle level positions

Rated 60% of requirement

Pest Diagnostic Capabilities Human Resource (HR) availability in Entomology

Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

YES

HR availability in Virology Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

NO

HR availability in Mycology Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

YES

HR availability in Nematology Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

YES

HR availability in Bacteriology Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

YES

HR availability in Weed Science Located in NARI Located in Crops Research Institute (CRI)

YES

Equipment Entomology Poor Poor FAIR Equipment Virology Poor Poor POOR Equipment Mycology Poor Poor POOR Equipment Nematology Poor Poor POOR Equipment Bacteriology Poor Poor POOR Equipment Weed Science Poor Poor FAIR HR Development & Training Inadequate HR dev program. Training

areas required: • GAP concept, HACCP, IPM • PRA • Laboratory chemical analysis for

residues, cadmium and mycotoxins • Development of strategic plan

Fair level of training, but needs to be focused on: • GAP concept, HACCP, IPM • PRA • Laboratory chemical analysis for

residues, cadmium and mycotoxins

• Development of strategic plan

Fair level of training, but needs to be focused on: • HACCP, IPM • PRA • Laboratory chemical analysis for

residues, cadmium and mycotoxins, GMOs and LMOs

• Development of strategic plan

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA

Pest Risk Analysis Availability of Trained PRA Team Poor rated 15% YES YES Access to internet for information search

Poor rated 25% 60% 65%

Access to CLIMEX for pest and climate data matching

NO NO NO

Access to @RISK Analysis package or equivalent

NIL NO NIL

Access to GIS (MapInfo) to undertake risk analysis

NIL NO NIL

Crops for which PRA has been done NIL NIL NIL Crops for which PRA is in process NIL Okra, Mango, Egg Plant NIL Pest and Disease Surveillance Availability of database of plant pest records

NIL NIL NIL

Number of crops surveyed NIL NIL NIL Availability of HR for Surveillance FAIR FAIR FAIR Equipment for Surveillance FAIR FAIR FAIR Documentation for Surveillance FAIR FAIR FAIR Pest Free Areas, Places, Sites of Production

List of pests for which free areas have been declared

NIL NIL NIL

List of pests for which free places of production have been declared

NIL NIL NIL

List of pests for which free areas have been declared

NIL NIL NIL

Inspection Systems Entry/Exit Number of Airports 1 1 7 Number of Seaports 1 2 7 Land border posts 7 35 33 HR adequacy FAIR FAIR FAIR Management FAIR GOOD FAIRFacilities FAIR FAIR FAIREquipment POOR FAIR FAIRDocumented Procedures FAIR FAIR FAIR Export Certification Documentation FAIR FAIR FAIRManagement FAIR FAIR FAIRPost-Inspection monitoring POOR FAIR POORFinance and sources of funding Adequacy of Government funding 60% 70% 40% Internally Generated funds Generated but lodged into inaccessible Generated but lodged into Generated but lodged into

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA

consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

Donor partners FAO – Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia IFAD - Rural Finance Project

GTZ, FAO FAO – Strengthening Food Control Systems of Nigeria”

DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION

Manuals for export/import Inadequate rated 50% Adequate rated 80% 60% Operation of Enquiry Points & Address

But Enquiry Point located in NaNA But Enquiry Point located in GSB But Enquiry Point located in SON

Computerization of import/export data

Rated 65% efficient but requires appropriate software

Rated 70% but requires appropriate software

45%, requires appropriate software

Availability of Internet and official websites

Agricultural Pest Management Unit (APMU), Yundum, The Gambia E-mail agricpest@gamtel.gmTel+220-4472758 NO Website

Plant Protection and Regulatory Services (PPRS), Pokuase, Accra Box MB 37 Tel+233-21-302638 E-mail icpacc@ghana.com No Website

Plant Quarantine Service, PMB 5672, Ibadan, Nigeria npqs@skannet.com. Tel +234-2-2314183 Fax +s34-2-2313842 NO Website

Performance Audit Reports Annual Reports Annual Reports Annual Report Strategic Plan NIL NIL NIL COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

West African • Ceres Locustor Laboratory in Dakar Senegal

• Regional Agzynei Center Niamey Niger

IAPSC, IITA IAPSC, IITA

International WTO WTO, IPPC WTO, IPPC MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SETTING ORGANISATIONS

IPPC NIL FEB 1991 YESAcceptance of 1997 IPPC Amendment (Deadline Oct 2005)

NOT YET NOT YET YES, SEPT 2003

Membership of WTO YES YES YES IAPSC NIL YES YESParticipation in regional SPS meetings

POOR FAIR FAIR

Participation in International meetings

POOR FAIR FAIR

ANNEX 2 FOOD SAFETY NORMS

FACT SHEET FOR SPS CAPACITY EVALUATION FOR NIGERIA, GHANA AND THE GAMBIA FOOD SAFETY NORMS

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIAFOOD SAFETY LEGISLATION Date of current Act Provisions made in ACT Establishing

Ministry of Health “Food and Drugs Law – 1992 PNDC 305B

Food and Drugs Decree No 15 –1993 Standards Organization of Nigeria ACT No 56 – 1971

Amendments to the Act NA Amended in 1996 “Food and Drugs Act”

Amended in 1976, 1984, 1990

Status of Act Under Review based on CAC standards since 2002

Review based on CAC standards since 2003

Reviewed to Codex standards and passed into Law

Designated Responsible National Institution

National Nutrition Agency (NANA) under the Vice President

Food and Drugs Board (FDB) under the Ministry of Health Ghana Standards Board (GSB) under Ministry of Trade and Industry

National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) under Ministry of Health Standards Board of Nigeria under Ministry of Trade & Industry

Cooperating Development Partners & Type of Assistance

FAO TCP/GAM 0166 (A) Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia

FAO, DFID FAO

Bilateral Standards Arrangements operational

NIL YES with Nigeria through Standards Board

Yes with Ghana Standards Board

Bilateral Standards Arrangements – Negotiation in progress

NIL NIL NIL

SPS INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY Institutional Structure Status of NFSO within Ministry Quasi-Government Agency Full Board within Ministry of Health Quasi-government, autonomous Geographical Coverage Presently limited to Banjul but with

plans to have provincial presence Adequate: 3 Zonal Stations, 2 Ports Need addition of 1 station in 2005

Represented throughout country

General HR Position Rated 95 % of requirement at national level

Rated 65%. Improvement needed in senior and middle level positions

FAIR

Pest Diagnostic Capabilities

HR availability in Entomology Not presently available Available in Ghana Standards Board Available HR availability in Virology Not presently available -do- NO

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA HR availability in Mycology Not presently available -do- Available HR availability in Nematology Not presently available -do- Available HR availability in Bacteriology Not presently available -do- Available Equipment Entomology FAIR GOOD FAIR Equipment Virology FAIR GOOD FAIR Equipment Mycology FAIR GOOD FAIR Equipment Nematology FAIR GOOD FAIR Equipment Bacteriology FAIR GOOD FAIR

HR Development & Training Adequate HR dev program in place. Training areas required in following areas: • PRA • HACCP • Chemical Residue analysis • Development of strategic plan

Training program in place, but needs to be focused on training needs: • PRA • HACCP, Residue analysis • GMO, LMO Development of strategic plan

Training program in place, but needs to be focused on training needs: • PRA • HACCP, Residue analysis for

cadmium in rice and mycotoxins • GMO, LMO • Development of strategic plan

Pest Risk Analysis

Availability of trained PRA Team NIL YES YES

Access to internet for information search NIL YES YES

Access to CLIMEX for pest and climate data matching

NIL NIL YES

Access to @RISK Analysis package or equivalent

NIL NIL YES

Access to GIS (MapInfo) to undertake risk analysis

NIL NIL YES

Access to GIS (MapInfo) to undertake risk analysis

NIL NIL YES

Food product for which PRA has been done

GSB is adequately informed SON is adequately informed

Inspection Systems Entry/Exit

Number of Airports 1 1 7

Number of Seaports 1 1 7

Land Stations Not yet established 3 33

HR adequacy GOOD FAIR FAIR

Management GOOD GOOD GOOD

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA Facilities FAIR FAIR GOOD

Equipment POOR FAIR FAIR

Documented Procedures FAIR FAIR GOOD Export Certification

Documentation GOOD GSB Certification SON CertifiedManagement GOOD GOOD GOODFinance and Funding Sources

Adequacy of Government funding 85% 70% 60% Internally Generated funds

NIL Generated but lodged into inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

YES but lodged into inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

Donor partners FAO – Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia

DFID, USDA Agencies, FAO, USDA,

DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION

Manuals for export/import Adequate Adequate rated 80% Adequate rated 80% Operation of Enquiry Points & Address

Located in Codex Secretariat NaNA Located in Codex Secretariat (GSB)

Located in SON

Computerization of import/export data

Rated efficient but requires appropriate software

Rated 70% but requires appropriate software

GOOD

Availability of Internet and official websites

Internet available National Nutrition Agency Banjul, The Gambia. nana@qanet.gmTel.+220-4202406 Fax +220-4202407 NO Website

Internet available Food and Drugs Board (FDB) PMB MB245, Accra-Ghana The Director, Ghana Standards Board P.O Box M-245 Accra, Ghana E-mail: gsbnep@ghana.comURL: www.ghanastandards.orgTel+233-21-500065 Fax+233-21-500092

GOOD Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) Plot 13/14, Victoria Arobieke Street Lekki Penninsula Scheme, Lekki Lagos State PMB 2102, YABA, NIGERIA Tel+234-1-2708230/5 E-mail sononline@21ctl.comURL www.sononline-ng.org

Performance Audit Reports Annual Reports Annual Reports Annual Report Strategic Plan Available Available Available

COUNTRY SITUATION THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

West African • Not provided Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, SON Nigeria,

Ghana Standards Board

International Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) CAC, FAO, WHO, IAPSC CAC, FAO, WHO Local EPA, Ministry of Health, Agriculture,

Customs Ministry of Health, EPA, Food & Drugs Board, Customs, Immigration, Police

Ministry of Health, Environmental Agency, Immigration, Customs

MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SETTING ORGANISATIONS

CAC YES YES YESMembership of WTO YES YES YES Participation in regional SPS meetings FAIR FAIR FAIRParticipation in International meetings NO FAIR FAIR

ANNEX 3 ZOO SANITARY NORMS

FACT SHEET FOR SPS CAPACITY EVALUATION FOR NIGERIA, GHANA AND THE GAMBIA ZOO-SANITARY NORMS

COUNTRY SITUATION

THE GAMBIA GHANA NIGERIA

ZOO-SANITARY LEGISLATION

Date of current Act “Diseases of Animals ACT – 1965 “Diseases of Animals ACT 83 – 1961 Amendments to the Act Amended in 1979, Veterinary

Surgeons Law PNDCL 305C of 1992 Amended in 1992 “Veterinary Surgeons Law PNDC L 305C”

Not covered under study

Status of Act Under Review based on OIE standards since 2000

Under Review based on OIE standards since 2000

Designated Responsible National Institution Veterinary Public Health Unit of the Department of Livestock Services, Min. of Agriculture

Directorate of Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Cooperating Development Partners & Type of Assistance

FAO TCP/GAM 0166 (A) Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia

FAO

Bilateral Quarantine Arrangements operational NIL NIL

Bilateral Quarantine Arrangements – Negotiation in progress

NIL NIL

SPS INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY

Institutional Structure Status of NVHO within Ministry Unit within Department of Livestock

Services of Ministry of Agriculture Full Directorate within the Ministry of Agriculture

Geographical Coverage Spread through out country. 2 Ports and 2 Land Borders

Rated Adequate: 4 land Stations, 2 Ports Need for expansion to 4 more regional border posts.

General Human Resource (HR) Position Rated 60 % of requirement at all levels. Improvement for senior and middle levels

Rated 65%. Improvement needed in senior and middle level positions

Pest Diagnostic Capabilities

HR availability in Entomology Not in Unit but in DLS and NARI Available

HR availability in Virology Not in Unit but in DLS and NARI No

HR availability in Mycology Not in Unit but in DLS and NARI Available

HR availability in Nematology Not in Unit but in DLS and NARI Available

HR availability in Bacteriology In Unit Available

Equipment Entomology Poor FAIR

Equipment Virology Poor FAIR

Equipment Mycology FAIR FAIR

Equipment Nematology Poor FAIR

Equipment Bacteriology FAIR FAIR

HR Development & Training Inadequate HR dev program. Training areas required: • PRA • Inspection measures for live

animals • Chemical Residue analysis • Development of strategic plan

Training program in place, but needs to be focused on training needs: • PRA • OIE Diagnostics • Epidemio-surveillance • Livestock inspection systems • Development of strategic plan

Pest Risk Analysis

Availability of trained PRA Team YES YES

Access to internet for information search YES YES

Access to CLIMEX for pest and climate data matching

NIL NIL

Access to @RISK Analysis package or equivalent

NIL NIL

Access to GIS (MapInfo) to undertake risk analysis

NIL NIL

Livestock for which PRA has been done NIL NIL

Pest and Disease Surveillance

Availability of database of livestock pest/ disease records

YES but need appropriate software for improvement

YES but need appropriate software for improvement

Number of livestock surveyed NIL Cattle, Poultry, Pigs, Sheep and Goats

Availability of HR for Surveillance FAIR GOOD

Equipment for Surveillance FAIR FAIR

Documentation for Surveillance FAIR FAIR

Pest Free Areas, Places, Sites of Production

List of pests for which free areas have been declared

NIL Rinderpest

List of pests for which free places of production have been declared

NIL Rinderpest

List of pests for which free areas have been declared

NIL • Rinderpest

Inspection Systems Entry/Exit

Number of Airports 1 1 Number of Seaports 1 1 Land border posts 7 4 HR adequacy FAIR FAIR Management FAIR GOODFacilities FAIR FAIREquipment POOR FAIRDocumented Procedures FAIR FAIR Export Certification

Documentation Livestock Import/Export Permits Livestock Import/Export Permits Management GOOD GOOD Finance and sources of funding

Adequacy of Government funding 65% 70% Internally Generated funds

Generated but lodged into inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

Generated but lodged into inaccessible consolidated fund. Need for establishing User Fee Fund through Act of Parliament.

Donor partners FAO – Strengthening Food Control Systems of The Gambia AfDB – Peri Urban Smallholder Improvement Project EU/FAO/WHO Pan Africa Control of Epizoties (PACE) IFAD - Rural Finance Project

JICA, USAID, Cochran Fellowship, PACE

DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION

Manuals for export/import Mainly livestock. Inadequate rated 50%

Adequate rated 80%

Operation of Enquiry Points & Address Located in Codex Secretariat NANA

Located in Codex Secretariat (GSB)

Computerization of import/export data Rated 65% efficient but requires appropriate software

Rated 70% but requires appropriate software

Availability of Internet and official websites Veterinary Public Health, Yundum The Gambia dls@gamtel.gmTel.+220-4392173 NO Website

Directorate of Veterinary Services Ministry of Food & Agriculture PMB M161, Accra-Ghana E-mail: NO Website

Performance Audit Reports Annual Reports Annual Reports Strategic Plan NIL Available COLLABORATION WITH PARTNER INSTITUTIONS

West African • International Trypano-Tolerance Center, Kerr Serigne The Gambia

• L’NERVE Virology Center, Dakar Senegal

• Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC),

• African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU/IBAR)

• Pong Tamale Veterinary College, Ghana

Membership of International Organizations WTO WTO, OIE, FAO, WHO, Local NANA, EPA, Ministry of Health,

Customs, Immigration, Police, Ministry of Health, EPA, Food & Drugs Board, Customs, Immigration, Police

MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD SETTING ORGANISATIONS

OIE NIL OIE, FEB 1991Membership of WTO YES YES Participation in regional SPS meetings FAIR FAIR Participation in International meetings NO FAIR