EAC trains inspectors on pest risk analysis

The East African Community has started training for plant health inspectors on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to save the region from pest infestation of agricultural commodities at one-stop border posts (OSBPs).

The capacity building will equip the inspectors with adequate knowledge of pest risk analysis (PRAs) for maize, beans, and rice, which are the most commonly traded goods across the region.

The EAC Director of Productive and Social Sectors, Jean Baptiste Havugimana, who opened the workshop, said the initiative was planned one year ago.

“The first activity we embarked on was the development of pest lists. The second stage entailed the development, validation, and adoption of PRAs for maize, beans, and rice,” said Havugimana.

“Utilisation and application of the SOPs at the border points by plant health inspectors is a turning point in the entire process,” he added. 

The Kabanga-Kobero Tanzania Revenue Authority Station Manager, Elpidius Romwadi Bigirwamungu, appreciated the EAC Secretariat for the workshop, adding that it was vital for customs operations.

Esther Muchiri, the Regional Coordinator at the Africa Food Safety Initiative (AFSI) on behalf of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), said AFSI was designed to support areas of sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), plant health, food safety, and maximum residue levels.

She said USDA, which funds the initiative, would procure and donate items to support the work of inspectors at the Kabanga-Kobero and other one-stop border posts in the region.

Expired goods                                                     

In November 2021, the government of South Sudan resolved to strengthen the capacity of the South Sudan National Bureau of Standards (SSNBS) to curb the importation of expired goods from neighbouring countries.

The First Vice President, Dr Riek Machar Teny, said it was imperative to deploy experts from the bureau at the borders so that the country could stop the consumption of expired goods. He warned the traders of importing expired goods into the country, which affects the health of its citizens.

“I think we need to build the capacity of the bureau of standards so that it has a presence at the borders and can also communicate with those who check goods before they are moved to South Sudan.” And then our business people, we must warn them not to bring expired goods,” said Dr Machar.

The Executive Director of the National Bureau of Standards, Dr Mary Gordon Muortat, accused the neighbouring countries of turning South Sudan into a dumping ground by selling goods of no substance to the South Sudanese.

Mary said her neighbours had factories and industries meant for South Sudanese that manufactured and processed products exclusively for South Sudan.

“Although we are trying to build our country, we have forgotten that we have joined the international arena where trade speaks louder. We have seen an influx of a lot of expired goods coming to South Sudan and we have not actually taken a very strong stance against it,” said Mary.

“Majority of the countries that are our neighbouring countries have taken the opportunity that we are still giving ourselves to dump anything on us that has expired, including creating factories manufacturing goods exclusively for South Sudan. These are things like building materials, and I am sure all of you have experienced houses falling apart; our materials are not up to standards.”

She cited a lack of funding that had made them fail to deliver for over 13 years of service, and thus, they were unable to protect the populace.

“We have asked the government many times to help with this because this has actually included anything that we consume in South Sudan, including food. I am sure the majority of us have been affected health-wise because of the lack of proper importation of quality and standard goods,” she added.

The Executive Director said that the East African Trademark bought for them a machine for testing goods before entering the country and asked the government for support.

“We have scientists, yes. We are getting a lot of help from foreign institutions, especially the East African Trademark. They bought us equipment that we needed to test the goods that are coming to South Sudan, and they are urging our government to help us with that. They bought us equipment worth SSP1.6 million, and we still need help,” she said.

She urged the government to present the issue of substandard goods to the neighbouring countries so that they could adjust it.