Suriname: Eggplant R-SAT Validation Workshop

On 24 May the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Fisheries of the Republic of Suriname, in collaboration with COLEACP (Fit For Market SPS programme) and the Caribbean Agricultural Health & Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), held a one-day Eggplant R-SAT Validation Workshop in Paramaribo, bringing together 20 key representatives from the public and private horticulture sectors.

Prior to the Suriname workshop, a COLEACP expert team facilitated the dialogue and engagement between key stakeholders, both public and private, in their assessment of Suriname’s national SPS systems using the Rapid SPS Assessment Tool (R-SAT). The goal of this exercise was to facilitate the development of a national priority action plan to strengthen SPS systems that is grounded in a common strategic vision, agreed by all stakeholders.

During the workshop, the team presented the results of the application of R-SAT to the country’s SPS control system, and identified priority activities. The workshop concluded with a presentation of the updated national priority action plan, which was endorsed by key players in the sector.

R-SAT provides a practical, step-by-step guide to assist ACP countries in their assessment of national SPS systems to strengthen them in line with international standards and regulations. The COLEACP R-SAT does not replace existing tools such as the FAO and WHO guidelines; the Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) developed by the IPPC; or STDF’s Prioritizing SPS Investments for Market Access (P-IMA) framework. Rather, it is designed to be complementary to these tools, allowing rapid preliminary assessment and generating information that can be fed into these more in-depth evaluations as necessary.

This activity is supported by the Fit For Market SPS programme, implemented by COLEACP within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union.