Manila, 9 March 2024: From 8-9 March 2024, the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) hosted a capacity-building workshop focusing on enhancing phytosanitary compliance and facilitating the seed trade across South and Southeast Asia by encouraging the adoption of the electronic phytosanitary (ePhyto) system. Organized in collaboration with key global and regional partners, this event marked a critical step in the project on “Strengthening phytosanitary compliance to boost seed trade in the Asia Pacific”, funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF).’ A total of 39 participants; 16 from the public sector, 7 from the private sector companies, and the remaining from global nonprofits, coming from 7 countries, participated actively in the workshop.
Featuring a robust agenda that covered essential topics like the adoption of electronic phytosanitary (ePhyto) certificates, the workshop brought together experts on ePhyto from global organizations such as the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), United Nations International Computing Center (UNICC), USDA, International Seed Federation (ISF), the Asia and Pacific Seed Alliance (APSA), CropLife Asia, and the American Seed Trade Association
The workshop was designed to build capacity of National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) from participating countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand) on International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 12 (ISPM 12) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) ePhyto solution (electronic phytosanitary certificate). These collective efforts underscored a pivotal move towards streamlining seed trade across South and Southeast Asia, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and safety in the agricultural sector.
Mr. Simon Padilla representing the STDF highlighted the past efforts of the STDF and the immense importance of the project for facilitating safe trade through the digitization of phytosanitary certificates and seed-specific pest lists in the region.
Ms Dinh Thi Nhu, the national plant protection officer from Viet Nam stated “It is a good platform to exchange data and information on how countries are approaching ePhyto to facilitate seed trade in a faster and safer way. We learnt a lot from this workshop.”
Khalil Hamid, Program Manager, Foreign Agricultural Service Office of Global Programs, from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), underscored the transformative potential of ePhyto in streamlining seed trade and ensuring quality seeds’ efficient and reliable flow.
“Implementation of ePhyto will continue to greatly enhance seed trade across South and Southeast Asia, translating into efficient and reliable flow of quality seeds. USDA actively supports the regions’ efforts to further adoption and implementation of ePhyto among others through the STDF project,” he stated.
Dr. Ravi Khetarpal, Executive Director of APAARI, highlighted the workshop’s critical role in facilitating harmonization of digital advancements in phytosanitary documentation for international seed movement for trade from the region.
“The STDF project brought together NPPOs of selected countries from South and South East Asia mainly to discuss the status of ePhyto in their countries with international experts. Digitization of exchange of phytosanitary documents is bound to expedite smooth and safe trade from the region,” he explained.
Rose Souza Richards, Phytosanitary Affairs Manager, ISF, praised the ePhyto system’s significant advancements in global agricultural trade. “The adoption of the ePhyto system marks a significant leap forward in enhancing the efficiency, security, and sustainability of global agricultural trade,” she noted.
Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the current state and future direction of phytosanitary measures, digital certification processes, and the significant impact of ePhyto on global agricultural trade. The key outcomes included a unified commitment towards adopting the ePhyto system, a strategic roadmap for its implementation, and the fostering of regional collaborations. The workshop underscored the critical role of digital advancements in phytosanitary documentation, promising a more sustainable and prosperous future for agriculture in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
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About the Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI):
APAARI is a membership-based, apolitical, multi-stakeholder, and intergovernmental regional organization that catalyzes collective action to improve agri-food research and innovation systems toward a more sustainable Asia-Pacific region.
About the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
The STDF is a global partnership facilitating safe and inclusive trade in developing countries by enhancing their capacity to meet international food safety, and animal and plant health standards.
Contact Information
For more details about the workshop outcomes and future initiatives, please contact:
Dr. Shivendra Bajaj, Project Manager, s.bajaj@apaari.org
