International plant health workshop

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is being given the opportunity to increase its capacity and capability in its effort to protect this country’s agricultural sector, through the application of improved plant health, quarantine and phytosanitary measures executed here.{{more}}

To this end, close to 50 officers from the Port Authority, Customs Dept., Agro-Processors, Port Police, Veterinary and Health Services, will be involved in a 2-week workshop from Monday 22nd March to Thursday 1st April. They will be trained in a number of disciplines related to Plant Health, Quarantine and Phytosanitary measures that meet with international standards.

The objectives of the workshop will be to:

• Sensitize stakeholders on WTO-SPS obligations
• Familiarization with obligations on IPPC/FAO issues

Modernization of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Unit to develop a system resulting in safer food, with pest management options, which will be sound for both environmental and human Health.

The workshop will convene with an opening ceremony addressed by Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Montgomery Daniel and an FAO representative, Dr. Litta Paulraj. It begins at 9:00 am at the Fisheries Conference Room.

This workshop is a component of the project dubbed “Strengthening Plant Health, Quarantine and Phytosanitary Systems” funded at the cost of EU €430 000. Its falls under the Special Framework of Assistance (SFA) 2006 Project sponsored by the European Union and administered by FAO.