Can phytosanitary services in African countries meet the challenges of globalisation?

摘要

When the 1995 Agreement on the application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) came into effect, it was not surprising that many southern countries found that meeting the requirements of SPS was an extraburden on phytosanitary services already chronically under-resourced. African countries are probably most vulnerable to the introduction of quarantine pests, and to loss of export earnings from infestation with quarantine pests for trading partners. Unfortunately, in this continent as a whole little progress has been made to improve phytosanitary activities and especially towards standardisation and harmonisation. The provision of phytosanitary services in the African region is thus examined in relation to the liberalisation of trade in particular and to the importation and use of biological control agents and transgenic crops. The place of plant quarantine in the development agenda is also discussed.