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Rimini, Italy: Macfrut 2019 – Spotlight on sub-Saharan Africa
In its 36th year, Macfrut (8–10 May) will be honouring the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. Exhibitors will include Angola, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Delegations from other countries in the region will attend to meet fruit and vegetable buyers from the European markets. In 2018, 43,000 visitors visited Rimini (up from 39,000 in 2017) – 25% of whom were international. The show’s 2018 Tropical Fruit Congress brought together the elite of the world’s mango and avocado sectors –300 operators, 80% from overseas.So there are many reasons for the COLEACP team to attend Macfrut 2019. We aim to liaise with the ACP companies present at the fair as part of our Fit For Market (FFM) programme, to promote ACP fruit and vegetables to European buyers, and to measure the opportunities that this European fair represents for business development for the EU–ACP fruit and vegetable sector.More information on the Macfrut fair
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COLEACP's FIT FOR MARTKET PROGRAMME IN KENYA
We had a courtesy call meeting this morning at the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Mission to the European Union to discuss the COLEACP-Fit For Market support for Kenya, one of our main intervention countries.Representing Kenya on the picture : His excellency Prof.Jacob T. Kaimenyi, PhD, EBS, EGH; Ambassador, Richard Githaiga, Agriculture Attaché, and Joshua M. Mugodo, Deputy Head of Mission. Representing COLEACP: Yessie Meyer, Regional Coordinator, Guy Stinglhamber, General Delegate and Jeremy Knops, Director of Operations.
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COLLECTIVE TRAINING IN KENYA FOR FOOD SAFETY MANAGERS
We organized a collective training in Kenya ???????? for food safety managers: "Changes regarding the new version of BRC standard (issue 8)". Due to the high demand from Kenyan and Tanzanian companies for this topic, a second training session is currently taking place in Nairobi.
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COLLECTIVE TRAINING ON FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
COLLECTIVE TRAINING ON FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENTWe organized a four-day training in Accra, Ghana, on Food Safety Management. This collective training aimed at strengthening the understanding of the technical staff of Ghanaian exporting companies and cooperatives on the practices and regulations of food safety through discussions and practical exercises.
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FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT
We organized a four-day training in Accra, Ghana, on Food Safety Management. This collective training aimed at strengthening the understanding of the technical staff of Ghanaian exporting companies and cooperatives on the practices and regulations of food safety through discussions and practical exercises.
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COP 24 in Katowice (3-14 December) : changing together !
24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The motto of COP24 says: ‘Changing together’ COLEACP can only agree! This is the purpose of its sustainability charter!« As producers and exporters in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) horticultural industry, and importers in the EU, we are committed to running our operations in a sustainable way. We understand sustainability as an on-going process towards the economic, social and environmental well being of all those we touch with our operations: customers, consumers, workforce, suppliers, local communities and other stakeholders »See the COLEACP sustainability charterTo follow COP 24
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FOCUS: SIERRA LEONE
Collective intelligence is one of the main principles guiding COLEACP’s actions. The association is committed to a continuous improvement process with its members, placing people at the centre to facilitate learning and performance. At the same time, COLEACP encourages and facilitates partnerships wherever possible to serve the competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural sectors. COLEACP’s action in Sierra Leone is a recent, concrete illustration of this approach.In May 2018, COLEACP and three European importers of fruit and vegetables (Belgian, French and English) were invited to participate in a first exploratory mission to Sierra Leone, organized by Brussels Airlines Cargo. The objective was to analyse the potential for adapting current production to the growing needs of the European market for a wide range of fresh vegetables (such as leaf vegetables, peppers, okra and eggplant). Brussels Airlines Cargo aims both to increase the loads of its cargo spaces on return routes, and to participate in the development of a competitive horticultural sector in Sierra Leone.The mission enabled COLEACP, as part of its Fit For Market programme, to identify the best way to support exporting companies in complying with EU regulatory and trade requirements in line with the needs of interested importers, and to analyse the specific needs of local markets. It also enabled the delegates to meet representatives of the services of the Ministry of Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture, and to inform them of developments in European phytosanitary regulations and the exporter registration system (REX).The communications between the various stakeholders in the private and public sectors since the May visit have contributed to planning for a national action plan for the development of the fruit and vegetable sector from early 2019, based on both local and international market access.In the field, COLEACP has already received eight requests for support from exporting companies, producer cooperatives and service providers, as well as an official request from the Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture for capacity building in SPS control and certification. Capacity-building activities within enterprises have begun with the training of several technical managers in the basic principles of integrated crop protection. At the same time, a local expert was supervised by a regional trainer in order to strengthen his field of expertise. In January 2019, Sierra Leonean inspectors in charge of phytosanitary controls will receive regional training organized by COLEACP in Senegal.In terms of partnerships, bridges are being considered with the World Bank’s Sierra Leone Agro-Processing Competitiveness Project, and with the European Union as part of its future interventions in horticultural diversification.
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Review workshop of the Ivorian mango campaign 2018
On 28 November 2018, the Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, du Contrôle et de la Qualité (DPVCQ) of Côte d’Ivoire, with the support of COLEACP, organized a mango campaign review workshop. The event brought together 80 participants from across the supply chain (producers, exporters, service providers and competent authorities).The observations shared were encouraging from a marketing and commercial point of view. Ivorian mango continues to enjoy a good image, particularly in its main export market, the European Union, where it has experienced strong growth over the past few years. More than 30,000 tonnes of Ivorian mangoes were imported by the EU in 2018 compared with 10,000 tonnes in 2010.In 2018, although there has been a decrease in the number of interceptions of Ivorian mangoes entering the European market due to quarantine pests, the number of notifications was still high, offsetting the positive structural trend of Ivorian exports. The November workshop raised awareness of this issue among all stakeholders in the sector. They therefore decided to mobilize quickly by updating and adapting the action plan previously implemented with the support of COLEACP in 2015, when the sector faced a similar phytosanitary problem.Another threat to Ivorian mango is the expansion of competitors, particularly Peru, whose export window is encroaching on that of Côte d’Ivoire (according to data from April and May 2018). The immediate impact has been a fall in market prices due to higher growth in supply than in demand.Through its Fit For Market programme, COLEACP has already received 39 individual requests for intervention from Côte d’Ivoire. These requests cover diverse themes: modern management of mango orchards; implementation of business plans; access to finance; improvement of environmental and social practices; and implementation of quality management systems that meet the standards of supermarkets.On a collective level, the workshop confirmed the need for a 2019 action plan on the SPS issue in a context where European regulations will also evolve next year and become more restrictive.The 2019 challenges for the Ivorian sector are clear. The November workshop offered stakeholders an opportunity to understand them better and to organize themselves, with the support of COLEACP, for the coming campaign.
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Workshop – avocado supply chain in Kenya focuses on quality
In Kenya the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD; formerly Horticultural Crops Development Authority), Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) and Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC), together with COLEACP, organized a two-day workshop on 3 December 2018. The event brought together 140 participants from throughout the country’s avocado value chain (producers, importers, exporters, logistics operators, competent authorities and transport companies).The main reason for the meeting was the current challenge faced by the Kenyan industry to improve the commercial quality of its avocados in order to position itself better in relation to its competitors (e.g. South Africa, Peru) and to promote production on the international market.The meeting enabled all stakeholders to recognize the need to work collectively to meet the commercial challenge and to identify the actions to be implemented as a priority in 2019: collective technical training, specific individual support via the Fit For Market programme, communication towards European importers on the progress made.
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« GROWING PEOPLE » : A word from the General Delegate
It is our responsibility to prepare young people for opportunities in the agricultural sector.Young Africans have no choice, they must roll up their sleeves and take ownership of agriculture at all levels, from workers and technicians to land owners and corporations; from the poor to the middle classes and millionaires. It is not up to agriculture to adapt, but for young people to adapt their skills to the needs of tomorrow’s agriculture: modern, efficient, sustainable and profitable. On the other hand, it is our responsibility to advise them and help them to train. The private and academic sectors must work together to define immediate needs. Over the past 15 years, COLEACP has set up a “fair and revolving training system” – fair because it is implemented by local experts who in turn pass their training down to others ; revolving because these local experts provide feedback and participate in identifying needs, improving existing systems and developing new tools.Today our concern is to prepare young people so that they can take advantage of the opportunities that will inevitably arise in the coming decades with the development of agriculture. The ability of these young Africans to seize opportunities will form the fabric of the SMEs that are fundamental to sustainable economic growth. It is these young people who will supply the workforce to meet the needs of large agri-food companies investing in Africa.This is my hope for agricultural companies and sectors in all African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, and in particular in sub-Saharan Africa. As African Development Bank President Akin Adesina often rightly reminds us, Africa will become the youngest continent on Earth in 2050 with 840 million children and adolescents. So many mouths to feed, brains to train well, hopes to be fulfilled – and actors in the sustainable development of Africa.We are more convinced than ever of the importance of the role of the horticultural sector in food security, food improvement and socioeconomic development.Guy StinglhamberGeneral Delegate of COLEACP
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New EU Plant Health Regulation 2016/2031: update and specific information for ACP competent authorities on high risk plants
(Feel free to contact us if you need additional information or support from COLEACP)The new regulation will become fully applicable on 13 December 2019. Among the main changes include special measures covering imports of certain high risk plants and plant products, as well as new requirements for phytosanitary certificates whereby all living plant material (plants, fruit, vegetables, cut flowers, seeds, etc.) will have to be accompanied by a certificate, except for a list of exempted commodities that are known to be low risk.In July 2018, the first delegated implementing act under the new regulation was published. This specified the list of high risk plants, and the list of plants to be exempted from the requirement to have a phytosanitary certificate: The proposed list of high risk plants contains 39 plant species. These consist mainly of plants for planting. The only fruit/vegetable product affected is Momordica (gourd) originating from third countries, or areas of third countries, where the pest Thrips palmi is known to occur. The proposed list of plants (other than for planting) that will be exempt from the requirement for a phytosanitary certificate includes: pineapple, coconut, durian, figs, banana and dates. Note that in future it is likely that other crops may be added to these lists. Furthermore, the EC may bring in additional emergency measures before December 2019 for specific crop/pest problems such as those recently introduced for False Codling Moth on Capsicum and Fall Armyworm.New Rules and Procedures for High Risk PlantsAfter December 2019, listed high risk plants and plant products will be prohibited from export into the EU unless and until a detailed risk assessment has been carried out to determine if imports are acceptable and, if so, under what conditions.Once a plant is listed, the risk assessments will not be conducted automatically. To trigger the process, a request for trade must first be made to the EU. The risk assessment will then be conducted by the EU authorities, generally using additional data provided by the exporting country. After a risk assessment is completed, an EU select committee will evaluate the findings and decide what, if any, special measures are needed.On December 18th 2018, the EC introduced an implementing act (Regulation (EU) 2018/2018) to explain the rules and procedures that countries will have to follow when they trigger and support risk assessments for high risk plants. The regulation can be found on the EC website and attached to this mail is a supporting publication from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA); this explains in detail the procedure that must be followed, and the data that will be required from third countries.At the moment it is only countries that are exporting Momordica that must initiate the process. However, it is very important for all NPPOs to be aware of this, as other crops are likely to be added to the high risk list in the future. As Momordica is currently being exported from Ghana, it is important that you act quickly to ensure that a risk assessment is triggered and completed by December, otherwise there may be a break in trade. Please get back to us if you need additional information or support from COLEACP to help with this process.COLEACP will continue to provide you with updates on the new plant health rules as new information becomes available. In the meantime, if you need any further clarification on the changes, please get in touch(link sends e-mail) with COLEACP.
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WORKSHOP ON AVOCADO SUPPLY CHAIN IN KENYA
In Kenya the Horticultural Crops Directorate (HCD; formerly Horticultural Crops Development Authority), Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) and Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPC), together with COLEACP, organized a two-day workshop on 3 December 2018. The event brought together 140 participants from throughout the country’s avocado value chain (producers, importers, exporters, logistics operators, competent authorities and transport companies).The main reason for the meeting was the current challenge faced by the Kenyan industry to improve the commercial quality of its avocados in order to position itself better in relation to its competitors (e.g. South Africa, Peru) and to promote production on the international market.The meeting enabled all stakeholders to recognize the need to work collectively to meet the commercial challenge and to identify the actions to be implemented as a priority in 2019: collective technical training, specific individual support via the Fit For Market programme, communication towards European importers on the progress made.