G/SPS/GEN/2165  
 
8 November  2023 
(23-7540) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
SPS ACTIVITIES OF THE CARIBBEAN AGRICULTURAL HEALTH  
AND FOOD SAFETY AGENCY  (CAHFSA)  
REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
The following communication, received on 8 Novemb er 2023, is being c irculated at the request of  
CAHFSA . 
 
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1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  The Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) was established by the 
Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to perform a coordinating and 
organi zing role in the establ ishment of an effective and efficient  regime of  regional sanitary and 
phytosanitary (SPS) measures and to execute on behalf of member States such SPS actions and 
activities that can be more effectively and efficiently executed through a regional mechanism.  
1.2.  CAHFSA is pleased to provide this report to the eighty -sevent h regular meeting of the 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, summarising key activities and providing 
updates on its SPS work programme.  
2  ADMINISTRATION AND GOVERNANCE  
2.1.  The agricultural landscape within the CARICOM region continues to grow and adapt to meet 
various SPS challenges and opportunities and to improve regional food security and sovereignty. 
As the regional institution tasked with establishing an efficient regime of  SPS measures, 
CAHFSA  recognises the need to continuously assess and adjust, as necessary, its position and 
strategies. As such, the Agency has developed a new five-year strategic plan. Four new strategic 
pillars support CAHFSA's overall strategy, and the work programme is designed to achieve the 
strategic objectives relevant to these pillars. The four pillars are:  
a. Strategic Pillar 1. SPS Advocacy and Awareness ; 
b. Strategic Pillar 2. Capacity Building of National Bodies ; 
c. Strategic Pillar 3. Regional Standard Development ; 
d. Strategic Pillar 4. Institutional Development . 
2.2.  Notably, the CAHFSA Strategic pillars are aligned with the Strategic Priorities of the  Community 
Strategic Plan, including (Priority 1 – Economic Resilience, Priority 6 – Community Govern ance and 
Priority 7 - Coordinated Foreign and External Relations). This alignment allows us to contribute to 
achieving the ultimate outcomes of sustainable economic growth for all CARICOM member States 
and an integrated community with equity for all.  
3  CAPAC ITY BUILDING PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES  
3.1.  One of CAHFSA's primary activities involves implementing initiatives to enhance the export 
development and expansion capacity of member States . These initiatives include delivering or 
supporting training programs, dev eloping guideline documents, and conducting evaluations of 
national SPS apacity.  G/SPS/GEN/2165  
 
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  3.2.  CAHFSA has begun phase two of the STDF -funded project preparation grant (STDF/PPG/733), 
"Piloting the Use of P -IMA in the CARICOM Region ". The first phase of this pilot projec t provided 
virtual training to P -IMA facilitators. In phase two, these facilitators will support the real -time 
application of the P -IMA tool in two countries of the region. The aim is to develop action plans and 
scalable, collaborative project proposals th at use evidence to prioritize investments in SPS measures.  
3.3.  CAHFSA is applying the IPPC Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) tool in 
one member  State. The PCE tool was developed to help countries assess the phytosanitary systems 
of the National Plant Pro tection Organization (NPPO) and the country. The project, which began in 
2020 under a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United 
Nations (FAO) Sub -Regional Office for the Caribbean, has experienced protracted delays  but was 
resumed in October 2023.  
3.4.  CAHFSA has recently entered into an agreement with the Basel Convention Regional Centre for 
Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC -Caribbean) to create and implement a 
training and capacity -building progr amme, along with a virtual guidance tool, that will focus on Good 
Labelling Practices for Pesticides in Agriculture. This initiative is a vital part of the Global Environment 
Facility (GEF) -funded Implementing Sustainable Low and Non -Chemical Development i n 
Small -Island Developing States (ISLANDS) Programme. The primary goal of this program is to assist 
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in adopting a safer chemical development pathway. The 
projects under this program aim to prevent the accumulation of h armful materials and chemicals 
that contain Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) and mercury, as well as other hazardous 
substances in SIDS, by emphasizing the importance of environmental protection.  
3.1  The Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2023  
3.5.  The Caribbean Reg ion celebrated the 17th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) on 
9-13 October in The Bahamas, under the theme 'Accelerating Vision 25 by 2025 '. The CWA is the 
premier event on the agriculture calendar in the Caribbean Region. It offers an opportunity to 
enhance stakeholder engagement and forge partnerships with significant actors and donors in the 
Caribbean's Agri -Food system. Throughout the week , CAHFSA collaborated with regional and 
international agencies to host informative events focused on strengthening the resilience of the 
agricultural sector in the Caribbean. These included sessions on:  
− Agro-ecology and the One Health Approach ; 
− Integrated Approaches to the Implementation of Biosafety Legislation in CARICOM ; 
− Advancing Movement of Plant Germplasm within CARICOM ; 
− Transboundary Pest and Disease Status for CARICOM with Emphasis on TR4 and African 
Swine Fever (CAHFSA Symposium 2023) . 
3.6.  CAHFSA suppo rted and facilitated the Twenty -Third Meeting of the CARICOM Chief Veterinary 
Officers (CCVOs) held in Jamaica from 11 -12 July 2023. Among the decisions and recommendations 
for the meeting were an agreement to the establishment of an emergency response sys tem to assist 
member States with future outbreaks of diseases in the region , a recommendation for 
member  States to intensify their surveillance for African Swine Fever (ASF) and Highly Pathogenic 
Avian Influenza (HPAI) to prevent their further introduction  into the region and an agreement that 
member States would adopt and implement strategies towards the reduction and use of 
antimicrobials in animal feed as growth promotants.  
4  COLLABORATION WITH INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE 
AREA OF AGRICU LTURAL HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY  
4.1.  On 14 -18 August 2023, CAHFSA collaborated with the IPPC, IICA and the FAO Sub -Regional 
Office for the Caribbean to organise and deliver the 2023 IPPC Regional Workshop for the Caribbean. 
The workshop was held jointly with the 16th annual meeting of the Caribbean Plant Health Directors' 
Forum. As usual, the IPPC Regional Workshop aimed to develop capacity in various areas related to 
the IPPC. In addition, the workshop serves to analyse draft International Standards for Phytosani tary 
Measures (ISPMs) and to formulate constructive comments on these drafts.  G/SPS/GEN/2165  
 
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  4.1  Collaboration with the GICSV and the TC -RPPO  
4.2.  CAHFSA actively supports the international and hemispheric phytosanitary community in 
coordinated activities to prevent the introduction and spread of plant pests.  
4.3.  The Agency continues collaborating with the Inter -American Coordinating Group in Plant Healt h 
(GICSV). The GICSV is a hemispheric forum for coordination and collaboration in plant protection 
matters, according to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The Group was created 
to promote joint actions aimed at preventing the introducti on and spread of pests of plants, plant 
products, and other regulated commodities and encouraging the adoption of appropriate measures 
for their control.  
4.4.  As the Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) for the Caribbean Region, CAHFSA plays 
an essenti al role in the cooperative endeavour to implement the IPPC.  The Technical Consultations 
among Regional Plant Protection Organizations (TC -RPPOs) encourage inter -regional cooperation in 
promoting harmonised phytosanitary measures and developing and using re levant international 
standards for phytosanitary measures. In addition to being a forum for RPPOs to consult as a group, 
the TC can support regional programmes under the IPPC and contribute to the work programme of 
the CPM.  
 
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