Bangladesh is experiencing robust economic growth and is focusing on fortifying its agricultural trade compliance capacities to ensure safety and develop effective strategies. Given the substantial value of agricultural exports from the United States and Bangladesh’s potential imports of key commodities such as raw cotton, soybeans, fruits, vegetable seeds, and wheat, enhancing the National Plant Quarantine System (NPQS) to align with international standards is critically important.

 Furthermore, opportunities abound for exporting vegetable seeds and fresh fruits from the USA to Bangladesh. However, a desk review and analysis are imperative to pinpoint strategies that will foster enhanced trade between the two nations.  This project proposal aims to elevate Bangladesh’s compliance with the SPS Agreement, focusing on the guidelines of the International Plant Protection Commission (IPPC) for pests and the Codex Alimentarius Commission for pesticides.  The project seeks to stimulate regional technical exchanges and build coalitions with like-minded entities. A priority is given to in-house capacities for compliance with key International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs of IPPC), particularly Pest Risk Analysis.

The purpose of this initiative is to enhance Bangladesh’s market access by strengthening coordination among SPS-related agencies. This will improve the country’s ability to comply with international sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, particularly for export and import activities. The initiative also aims to supplement ongoing biopesticide project training, focusing on detecting Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) and promoting biopesticides to facilitate safe production and trade.

A significant milestone under the USDA-APAARI partnership is the development and enhancement of the SPS Information Management System (SPS-IMS) through a user-friendly web portal (sps.apaari.org) in the first phase of the project. The portal consolidates WTO SPS-related information, serving as a comprehensive resource to support market access and institutional memory. The project aims to update and enhance the portal to ensure its usability for regulators, academia, research institutions, universities, and private industries, fostering broader engagement and facilitating access to critical trade and regulatory information.