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Uganda: The Refugee Next Door achieves organic certification for pineapple farmers
Belgian company Kasana Fruits sources dried, organic-certified fruits and nuts produced in Africa (mainly Uganda and Burkina Faso) by local farming cooperatives. The company’s socially responsible business model supports farming and educational programmes in these countries.To build a more inclusive and reliable pineapple supply chain, Kasana Fruits has successfully brought together 58 Ugandan pineapple producers into a farmers’ cooperative. This cooperative, which supplies most of Kasana’s pineapples and bananas, is supported by The Refugee Next Door (RND), a non-profit association that owns the Amani processing centre.With the support of the EU-funded Fit For Market programme implemented by COLEACP, Kasana has been training and coaching members of the cooperative towards group organic certification. In July 2020, COLEACP experts carried out an initial assessment of the quality management system and internal control system, benchmarked against the Ecocert Organic Standard. COLEACP continued to work with Kasana to provide technical assistance and training, to the end of 2020.In September 2021 the cooperative and RND successfully passed the audit and received their organic certification for vanilla and pineapple products. The Ecocert Organic Standard is recognised as equivalent to the provisions of regulation (EC) No 834/2007.Through obtaining organic certification, RND aims to increase processing margins and exports. New drying technology, supported by Enimiro Uganda, will provide better drying ratios and product quality.The social impact of the pineapple drying project and the associated schooling project can be estimated as supporting a total of 112 jobs, and directly benefiting 885 people.1 “The organic certification has been a huge milestone and I'm very thankful to COLEACP for its financial and human support in this. I'm looking forward in continuing our collaboration in the future.” - François-Xavier Willaert, CEO, Kasana Fruits Congratulations to RND, the cooperative, Kasana Fruits, and all those involved for this major achievement! 1
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Our most read news of 2021
Highlighting dynamic young people in agriculture, and developments in sustainable productionCOLEACP’s most viewed news stories last year featured environmental sustainability training, organic regulation, agripreneurs, and incubator training for young technical managers in Togo.These activities are supported by the EU-funded Fit For Market and Fit For Market SPS programmes, and the STDF project in Togo, part of a suite of programmes implemented by COLEACP.
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What can COLEACP’s Research & Innovation department do for you?
On 25 January, COLEACP’s Research & Innovation department held a videoconference, to introduce the department’s range of activities and services. Regulatory monitoring tools: You can follow events at European and international levels via interactive dashboards and online databases, to support monitoring of regulations and rapid adaptation to changes (MRLs, PPP approvals, TRACES, RASFF, and e-GAP) Field trials to find new alternatives to control priority pests: How are trial activities scheduled? Learn about the 18 trials implemented since 2019, and our research objectives for 2022 Development of new guides/brochures: Get an overview of updated and newly published material on crop protection and production developed in recent months, and planned for 2022 Identifying and testing smart technologies for agriculture in ACP countries: See a review of smart technologies for ACP agriculture, and the results of the first field test of the Blockchain in Côte d'Ivoire The interactive session allowed time for question-and-answer sessions and discussions.You can view the video here.Under the EU-funded Fit For Market SPS programme, COLEACP’s Research & Innovation department focuses on the adaption and dissemination of technologies and solutions that contribute to safe and sustainable food. The department acts as a research broker, bringing together a variety of resources to ensure that technologies are accessible to SMEs.This session is part of a series of videoconferences that aim to inform on the latest trends, and to provide a forum for discussing the main sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and other issues affecting the fruit and vegetable sector in ACP countries. 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.
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Three new market profiles from Fit For Market
Processed pineapples (Guinea), mango (Burkina Faso), and off-season fruit and vegetables (Mali)
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News digest: agri-food systems and sustainability
On 10 January, in the context of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union and ahead of the European Union-African Union Summit scheduled for February 2022, Franck Riester, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, held an international ministerial conference dedicated to the prospects of the European trade partnership with Africa. The overhaul of the partnership between the European Union and Africa is high on the agenda of the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The European Union-African Union Summit in February 2022 was an opportunity to mark this ambition at the highest political level.Source: French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, 8 January 2022
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Message to our members and partners
Dear friends of COLEACP,On behalf of COLEACP and the team, we are pleased to send you our best wishes for 2022, and especially we wish you and your loved ones very good health. We are approaching this new year with cautious optimism, while launching an appeal to the whole COLEACP family to continue to mobilise our individual and collective efforts, which contribute to building a fairer and more sustainable agri-food system.In an international context that - due to COVID and climate change - remains uncertain, volatile and complex, we are pleased to share with you the positive outlook for our association and its partners, shaped by the implementation of two new major programmes, namely Fit For Market+ and AGRINFO.Fit For Market+, announced in December, is a five-year, €25 million programme. It aims to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by strengthening the sustainability of the horticultural sector of members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). It is intended to help horticultural value chain actors mitigate the negative economic impacts of the pandemic, and at the same time seize new market opportunities by adopting green, low-carbon and climate-resilient strategies, developing and adopting relevant practices, skills and technologies. Fit For Market+, as its name implies, will be implemented as a continuation of the Fit For Market programme and in synergy with Fit For Market SPS. Fit For Market+ is managed by COLEACP in the framework of development cooperation between OACPS and the European Union.AGRINFO is a new programme to inform EU partners about the ongoing development of EU regulatory and non-regulatory measures in the agricultural sector, so that these developments are known and understood, in the service of a fair, healthy and environmentally sound food system for all stakeholders. AGRINFO is funded by the EU, with €7 million over five years.These two programmes, implemented by COLEACP, are part of the Farm to Fork strategy of the European Green Deal, which aims to accelerate the necessary transition towards more sustainable food systems. Together with the other programmes under way at COLEACP at international and national levels, they should enable us to consolidate the progress made in 2021, and thus contribute to the positive evolution of the global agri-food model, thanks to the continuous strengthening of the capacities of current and future generations of producers, entrepreneurs, consultants, technicians and all economic actors in the agricultural and food system.This is what our "Growing People" vision is all about. We hope to see you soon in 2022.Until then, we hope that your professional activities, and especially your collaboration with our organisation, will contribute to giving you satisfaction and the positive energy and courage to face life with optimism.Yours sincerely,Stephen MintahPresidentJeremy Knops Délégué Général
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"Best development partner" at 2021 Avocado Industry Excellence Awards
Dr Chagema Kedera, NExT Kenya Programme Coordinator, received the trophy from Avocado Society of Kenya CEO Mr Ernest Muthomi.COLEACP's programme activities in Kenya recently resulted in the award for "best development partner" at the 2021 Kenya Avocado Industry Excellence Awards (KAEA) held on 10 December at the Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.The KAEA, now in its second edition and becoming a national ritual, is an initiative of the Avocado Society of Kenya. The awards acknowledge and recognise contributions to the avocado sector that change or alter businesses, resulting in advancement in all areas of the sector, and including but not limited to marketing, research and development, products, and innovations in production.COLEACP's programme activities were recognised and appreciated for their exceptional contribution in the advancement of the Kenyan horticulture sector, in particular the EU-funded NExT Kenya programme. This programme targets whole value chains, with a specific focus on micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and the private and public services that support the horticultural sector. For example, the programme was involved in revamping Kenya’s National Horticulture Taskforce, a public-private sector coordination mechanism on strategic/policy issues to address the challenges facing the horticulture industry. It has carried out a study of the bottlenecks affecting the competitiveness of Kenyan exports, and a report soon to be published will offer pragmatic, in-depth recommendations on how to best deal with the bottlenecks identified. The programme has also initiated the development of Good Practice Guides for avocado and beans/peas, which are currently being finalised. The NExT Kenya programme aims to increase the contribution of the horticultural sector to household incomes through the generation of employment opportunities and foreign currency; and to improve food security, food safety and nutrition by increasing the resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability of Kenyan horticultural value chains.Other programmes implemented by COLEACP in Kenya are Fit For Market and Fit For Market SPS. Recent activities under these programmes, in collaboration with other stakeholders, include a series of regional training/sensitisation forums for all producers across the country, aiming at a common approach across the industry to help drastically reduce interceptions of Thaumatotibia leucotreta (false codling moth, FCM) on roses exported to Europe. COLEACP activities in Kenya are supported by EU-funded programmes. The NExT Kenya (New Export Trade) programme funded by the EU Delegation in Nairobi was established following extensive consultations and collaboration with Kenyan horticulture stakeholders. The Fit For Market and Fit For Market SPS programmes are implemented by COLEACP within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. Fit For Market is co-funded by the French Development Agency (AFD).
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STDF Togo: Training for DPV inspectors on implementing official controls
Inspectors of Togo’s Plant Protection Directorate (DPV) took part in training on implementing official controls during November 2021. This distance learning via the COLEACP e-Learning Platform, part of the Project for the Strengthening of the National Phytosanitary Control and Certification System for Fruits and Vegetables in Togo, aimed at reinforcing the capacity of 20 DPV inspectors to carry out official control activities of plants and other regulated products. The aim was to train participants to the procedures and instructions established in conformity with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) and the phytosanitary requirements of importing countries.Participants strengthened their understanding of the importance of ISPMs and their application in relation to the requirements of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for contracting parties. Topics covered included the regulatory context and the evolution of EU phytosanitary legislation in plant health, in relation to EU Regulation 2016/2031 and its implications. Participants discussed the importance and requirements for documentation, traceability and reporting of official control activities and their results. Through practical exercises, they experienced how to execute sampling plans, and to properly fill in additional declarations on phytosanitary certificates.This activity was organised within the framework of the Project for the Strengthening of the National Phytosanitary Control and Certification System for Fruits and Vegetables in Togo, funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by COLEACP.
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Amendment to the EU plant health legislation - applicable from 11th April 2022
In August 2021, COLEACP issued a Flash Info advising of a public consultation by the European Commission on proposed amendments to the EU plant health legislation. The resulting amendments have now been incorporated into the new Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/2285, published on 14th December 2021.These amendments concern the listing of pests, prohibitions and requirements for the introduction into, and movement within the European Union of plants, plant products and other objects (amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2072). They will apply from 11th April 2022.The new Regulation (EU) 2021/2285 introduces amendments that affect a number of ACP exports to the EU (including mango, papaya, guava, capsicum, eggplant, tomato and citrus from certain countries). NPPOs and export sectors in the countries concerned need to take action to ensure that the necessary measures are put in place so that exports can continue after 11th April 2022.The most important changes in terms of impact on ACP fruit and vegetable exports to the EU include the following:1.Point (5) clarifies the categorization of fruit fly (Tephritidae) species“Based on the reassessment of the group of Tephritidae, specific species and genera have been identified that are not present or have limited presence in the Union territory and should be listed as Union quarantine pests. Several genera should be listed as Union quarantine pests, in order to allow protective measures against them, pending the availability of methods to identify them at species level, notably at larval stages”.Some individual fruit fly species and genera are already named as Union quarantine pests. However, due to the lack of methods to identify many fruit flies at species level, the EU has taken a pragmatic approach. They have listed several entire genera as Union quarantine pests so that protective measures are taken against them while the diagnostic methods are being developed. This means that entry into the EU of produce containing a large range of fruit fly species (including all fruit flies belonging to the Acanthiophilus, Bactrocera, Ceratitis, and Dacus genera) is now prohibited2.Amendments to ANNEX VII, stipulating additional requirements for certain plants and plant products from third countriesThe new Regulation (EU) 2021/2285 amends some of the special requirements listed in Annex VII of Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. These special requirements target crops that are a known pathway into the EU of serious pests that could damage EU agriculture or the environment. The amendments are often made following risk assessments, or in cases where there have been large numbers of interceptions in imports from third countries.The special requirements stipulate detailed rules that apply in order to export certain plants and plant products to the EU, alongside the pests and exporting countries concerned. In some cases the Annex includes a series of options specifying the strict conditions that apply. Exporting countries must select -and inform the European authorities - which of these options they will use.The options vary depending on the crop and pest but, in general, they include the possibility of exporting according to categories of pest-free status (according to ISPM 4). There may also be an option to apply a systems approach or post-harvest treatment to ensure that the exported produce is free from the pests concerned. The latter requires the submission of a dossier to the EU by the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) describing in detail the approach or treatment that will be applied.It is important to note that these amendments also affect the completion of the phytosanitary certificate; specific details may need to be included in the Additional Declarations.The latest amendments affect a number of ACP exports. NPPOs and export sectors in the countries concerned need to act now to ensure that the necessary steps are taken in order to allow exports to continue after 11th April 2022. The following points listed in Annex VII of Regulation (EU) 2021/2285 indicate the main crops, pests and countries concerned: Point 61. Options that specify strict conditions to manage Fruit flies (Tephritidae): - In fruits of Citrus, kumquat (Fortunella Swingle); Trifoliate orange (Poncirus Raf., and their hybrids); mango (Mangifera L.) and Prunus L.- From all third countriesPoint 67. Options that specify strict conditions to manage the fruit fly Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc.):- In fruits of Solanaceae (including Capsicum, tomato and eggplant).- From the Caribbean, Australia, the Americas and New Zealand.Point 71. Official statement of status as a country or area free from Thrips palmi Karny (no option for a systems approach or post-harvest treatment):- In fruits of Momordica L.- From all third countriesPlease note that fruits of Momordica L. are listed as high-risk plants for which a PRA is needed (EU) 2018/2019Point 72.1. Options that specify strict conditions to manage the fruit fly Bactrocera latifrons (Hendel) in:- fruits of Capsicum L. and Solanum L.(including tomato and eggplant)- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe (plus other non-ACP countries)Point 72.2. Options that specify strict conditions to manage the fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel):- In fruits of Annona L. and papaya (Carica papaya L.)- From Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe (plus other non-ACP countries)Point 72.3. Options that specify strict conditions to manage the fruit flies Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel) and B. zonata (Saunders) in:- fruits of guava (Psidium guajava L).- (among others) Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Réunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe (plus other non-ACP countries).The following COLEACP guidelines will be available in the coming days to incorporate the main changes under Regulation (EU) 2021/2285: - (New) Guidelines on the export of fresh guava, papaya, and Annona- (Update) Guidelines on exporting fresh capsicum from the Caribbean- (Update) Guidelines on the export of Capsicum from Africa, Madagascar, Cape Verde, and Mauritius- (Update) Guidelines on exporting fresh eggplant and tomato from Africa, Madagascar, Cape Verde, and Mauritius- (Update) Guidelines on exporting fresh citrus from Africa, Madagascar, Cape Verde and Mauritius- (Update) Guidelines on the export of fresh mango to the European UnionThese guides provide a clear explanation of what needs to be done in order to ensure that exported produce is in compliance with EU phytosanitary requirements. It details the information to be provided, and actions to be taken, at all stages from production to export by producers and exporters, as well as by the national authorities and inspection services.
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Workshop to launch the Regional Guide to Good Mango Practices in West Africa
12 January saw the launch of a project to support the development of a "Regional Guide to Good Practices for Mango in West Africa". The development of the Guide is being organised as part of COLEACP’s partnership with the ECOWAS SyRIMAO project, "Innovative Regional Fruit Fly Management System Project in West Africa", via the EU-funded Fit For Market SPS programme. The January workshop brought together more than 60 participants, stakeholders in the mango sector from the public sector (competent authorities) and the private sector (inter-professional organisations and companies) from 10 ECOWAS countries, as well as representatives of support projects for the mango sector in the ECOWAS zone. During this event, the objectives of the Good Practice Guides currently being initiated by COLEACP for priority sectors were reiterated as facilitating:compliance of practices and productsrecognition of compliance with standards and regulatory requirements for market accessdialogue and exchange of practices within the sectoradaptation of educational tools to the needs of different actors in the value chain.Fresh mango was selected as a priority commodity chain for the development of a Good Practice Guide due to the SPS requirements to which it is subject, particularly relating to compliance with EU phytosanitary regulations concerning fruit flies. As the problem of fruit fly (Tephritidae) control transcends the administrative borders between countries, a regional guide is needed. Eight of the ECOWAS countries are particularly concerned, as they have already submitted a dossier to the EU competent authorities presenting their systematic approach to managing the phytosanitary risk associated with fruit flies, in line with European legislation: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Togo.As the sector is especially important in Burkina Faso, a Good Practice Guide for dried mango is also planned alongside this regional fresh mango guide.January’s regional launch workshop was the first step in the process of developing the Guide, which will continue in each of the eight countries through national information workshops to mobilise the various stakeholders. The next step will be to collect and analyse information on organisation and current practices in the sector, particularly through stakeholder surveys, to characterise the practices and control measures applied, identify gaps and control and self-control measures applicable at national and regional levels, and feed into the exercise of drawing up both Guides (fresh and dried mango). This process will be based on bodies that will be set up at national level (technical working groups) and regional level (technical working group and steering committee), accompanied at each stage by experts from COLEACP and SyRIMAO.The first version of this Regional Guide to Good Mango Practices is scheduled for final validation by the end of 2022. If this is achieved, action plans, support for deployment of the Guide, and the application of the recommendations resulting from the work could be implemented in the countries during the 2023 mango export season, with the support of the Fit For Market SPS programmes of COLEACP and SyRIMAO of ECOWAS.The meeting concluded by reiterating the importance of commitment and mobilisation of stakeholders at both national and regional levels to achieve this objective.Finally, a Question-and-Answer session confirmed participants’ interest in this Guide.The targeted countries will be contacted individually by COLEACP to undertake the next steps.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.
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Cameroon: Working week for the implementation of COLEACP R-SAT tool
A week-long workshop was held in early January in Kribi, bringing together the private and public sectors involved in the mango value chain (fresh and dried), to discuss the implementation of COLEACP’s Rapid SPS Assessment Tool (R-SAT). The tool and its roll-out are supported by the Fit For Market SPS programme, continuing COLEACP’s activities in support of Cameroon’s horticultural sector and Department of Regulation and Quality Control of Agricultural Products and Inputs (DRCQ). R-SAT supports Competent Authorities to assess the current status and functioning of their sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems, in conjunction with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors.The tool, introduced in Cameroon in September 2021, will enable the development of a prioritised action plan by agri-food value chains to strengthen national SPS systems, and to ensure their alignment with international standards and regulations.This January workshop was attended by 18 participants, including representatives of several ministries and the Cameroon Mango Task Force, as well as three expert trainers. This successful meeting provided a platform for those involved to propose an action plan to improve the national SPS system for the sector.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.
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Update on EU MRL changes
Key points Since our latest news in December 2021 , we are highlighting some significant changes affecting five active substances (acequinocyl, Bacillus subtilis strain IAB/BS03, emamectin, flutolanil, and imazamox) used in crop protection ( Reg. (EU) 2021/2202 ). In particular, emamectin is important and widely used in ACP horticulture. The latest changes involve an increase in MRLs for peaches and kiwi fruits. The new Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for peaches is 0.15 mg/kg (previously 0.03 mg/kg) and for kiwis the new MRL is 0.15 mg/kg (previously 0.01 mg/kg). The European Commission has also notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of further proposed changes involving 30 substances, nine of which are key for ACP horticulture (bifenthrin, fenpropimorph, methoxyfenozide, propoxur, spinosad, thiram, azoxystrobin, cymoxanil and iprovalicarb). Competent Authorities in countries that will be particularly affected by these changes can submit comments on these proposals to the WTO. The deadline for comments is February 2022 ( Table 1 ). Note that since January 2021, MRLs for Great Britain (GB) follow a different review process. The changes described above therefore do not apply to GB, and the MRLs here may differ. MRLs for Great Britain can be consulted here (note that EU MRLs also apply in Northern Ireland). How will ACP producers/exporters be affected? Changes to EU MRLs have an impact on ACP growers, as the new MRLs also apply to products that are exported to the EU. Growers may need to adapt their practices to meet the new MRL or, if this is not possible, they may need to stop using these products and look for an alternative method of pest management. What should ACP producers/exporters do now? For each use of the plant protection products (PPPs) involved, the Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in place will need to be checked and probably adapted to ensure compliance with the new MRLs. This is essential to prevent interception and destruction of merchandise at the border. If you use these PPPs, it is important to liaise with your producer /exporter associations and national authorities to check that the GAPs you apply are compliant with the new MRLs. In most cases, adaptations will be needed to the GAPs (dose rate, number of applications, pre-harvest interval). If you have any major concerns about these changes, and fear that you will be left without an effective and locally available alternative, please contact COLEACP at network@coleacp.org .