The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in collaboration with the Department of State for Agriculture, the Department of Agricultural Services and the Agricultural Pest Management Unit on Tuesday held a day long workshop on the strengthening of the National phytosanitary capabilities.

The workshop marks the start of activities under an eighteen-month Technical Cooperation Programme project, which is being funded by FAO at Paradise Suite Hotel.

The project titled “Strengthening of the National Phytosanitary Capabilities” will assist the Government and stakeholders to create an effective transparent quarantine system, which would minimize trade barriers. The project will also establish a system upon which pest risk analysis can be based and establish a residue Levels requirements to improve the inspection facilities to detect and prevent the entry of exotic pests. The project will also revise the draft plant quarantine legislation, draft instruments to make it effective and prepare new pesticide legislation to meet WTO-SPS Agreement.

In his key note address Suruwa B Wawa Jaiteh, Permanent Secretary, Department of State for Agriculture, encouraged participants to participate fully in the realisation of the goal of the project. He assured them of his department’s support at all times.

For her part Hanna Clarendon, FAO Regional crop protection officer said the objective of the project is to improve the phytosanitory system in The Gambia. She added that The Gambia needs to be compliant with international rules and regulations governing trade on phytosanitory and sanitory issues.

The project targeted specific objectives which includes the revision of the national phytosanitary capabilities using the Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) instrument, training plant protection personnel in operational procedures, pest risk analysis, the international standards and pest surveillances, raising of awareness by training stakeholders to encourage cooperation and compliance with the IPPC and SPS Agreement and national phystosanitary laws and develop an operational manual on phytosanitary measuires for use by phytosanitary inspectors.