G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
19 September 2019  
(19-6027) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
TECHNICAL ASS ISTANCE TO DEVELOPIN G COUNTRIES  
PROVIDED BY AUSTRALI A 
JULY 201 5 – JUNE 201 7 
COMMUNICATION FROM AUSTRALIA  
Addendum  
The follow ing communication, received on 16 September  2019, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Australia . 
 
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1.  In response to the Secretariat's request in G/SPS/W/101, Australia submits the attached list of 
technical assistance provided to developing countries between 1 July 201 5 and 30 June 201 7, in 
accordance with Article 9 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosani tary 
Measures (SPS Agreement). The list is not an exhaustive compilation of all technical assistance 
provided.  
2.  The aggregate value of the official  development technical a ssistance provided between July  2015 
and June 201 7, as listed in the appended table, exceeded A UD $46 million . In many cases Australia 
also provides substantial additional in -kind contributions.  
3.  Technical assistance is primarily aim ed at helping developing countries to adjust to, and comply 
with, SPS measures in their export markets and to improve their capacity in developing and 
implementing their own SPS measures based on science and international standards. For the 
reporting perio d assistance was provided through 78 projects and given to a total of 5 8 individual 
Members, Observers or non -Member countries, mainly in the Asia -Pacific region, but also in Africa 
and the Middle East. Assistance was directed to individual countries as we ll as to groups of countries 
or regional organisations such as Pacific Island Forum countries, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC) forum and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  
  
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 2 - TABLE 1: TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  PROVIDED BY AUSTRALIA TO MEMBERS,  
OBSERVERS AND OTHER COUNTRIES:  1 JULY 201 5 – 30 JUNE 201 7 
Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Plant health  Determine water use efficiency and profitability of Sub Surface 
Drip Irrigation (SSDI) lucerne hay compared to flood irrigation.  
Determine minimum energy requirements for SSDI. Develop 
scheduling techniques and tools for highly efficient irrigation 
system s. Technical expertise  Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic 
Republic  
Animal health  To improve cattle and sheep production in Tibet, People's Republic 
of China and Australia by introducing new forage species to 
improve year -round nutrition. To improve the livelihoods of 
smallholder farmers in Tibet Autonomous Region, PRC.  Advice, technical expertise, training  China  
Food safety  A five -day workshop on designing a national monitoring and 
surveillance program, with a tailored statistical workshop with 
focus and emphasis on statistical design and factors to consider in 
planning and analysing the results of a national monitoring 
program.  Training, advice , technical expertise  Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of  
Animal health  A range of technical and policy capacity building to build 
relationships and improve animal health surveillance while 
benefitting Australia by reducing offshore animal disease risks.  Advice, technical expertise, training , 
equipment  Papua New Guinea , Timor -Leste  
Food safety and 
plant protection  Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS) is a bilaterally 
based management system that includes regulator and industry 
training, establishment of in country training teams, annual joint 
system reviews and border monitoring and fee dback. The 
principles of this management system are adaptable to any 
biosecurity treatment or inspection activity.  Advice, technical expertise, training  Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Fiji, 
Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, 
Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragu a, Panama, 
Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, 
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Agricultural productivity initiative to support the strengthening of 
the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock’s cocoa 
extension systems.  Research, technical assistance  Solomon Islands  
Plant protection  Area-wide management of pest fruit flies in an Indonesian mango 
production system.  Research, technical assistance  Indonesia  
Plant Protection  This program will deliver workshops aimed to strengthen regional 
surveillance systems and management capabilities, supporting the 
implementation of international and regional surveillance 
standards (ISPM 4, ISPM 6, ISPM 26 and RSPM No.3). This 
strengthens the management of regional  plant pest risks, supports 
members plant pest status, enhances pest risk analysis and 
facilitates information sharing amongst the APPPC member 
countries.  Training, workshops  Asia and Pacific countries in the APPPC  
Plant protection - 
forestry  Biological control of galling insect pests of eucalypt plantations in 
the Mekong region.  Research, technical assistance  Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic 
Republic , Thailand, Viet Nam  
Plant protection - 
horticulture  Bogia  coconut syndrome in Papua New Guinea: developing 
biological knowledge and a risk management strategy.  Research, technical assistance  Papua New Guinea   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 3 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Plant protection  Building a resilient mango industry in Cambodia and Australia 
through improved production and supply chain practices.  Research, technical assistance  Cambodia  
Plant protection  Develop and implement a regionally harmonised, pest information 
framework that promotes best practice in the design and 
implementation of pest surveillance, in particular, information 
management and reporting.  Technical expertise, training, equipment  Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic 
Republic , Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, 
Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Develop within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations 
(ASEAN) Member Countries technical understanding of in -transit, 
cool chain treatments and regulatory confidence in this kind of 
supply chain to meet phytosanitary requirements of high -value, 
SPS-sensitive, export mark ets. Technical expertise  Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's 
Democratic Republic , Malaysia, 
Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, 
Thailand, Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Developing a foundation for the long -term management of basal 
stem rot of oil palm in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon 
Islands.  Research, technical assistance  Solomon Islands  
Plant protection - 
agribusiness  Developing an emergency response and long term management 
strategy for Cassava Mosaic Virus in Cambodia and Viet Nam . Research, technical assistance  Cambodia, Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Developing and verifying quarantine management strategies for 
Panama disease.  technical expertise training advice  Philippines  
Plant protection - 
horticulture  Developing cleaner export pathways for Pacific agriculture 
commodities.  Research, technical assistance  Fiji, Samoa  
Animal health  Development of a market -driven bio secure beef production 
system in Lao People's Democratic Republic . Research, technical assistance  Lao People's Democratic Republic  
Animal health  Domestic and international market development for high -value 
cattle and beef in South -East Cambodia.  Research, technical assistance  Cambodia  
Plant protection - 
horticulture  Enabling improved plant biosecurity practices in Cambodia, Lao 
People's Democratic Republic  and Thailand.  Research, technical assistance  Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic 
Republic , Thailand  
Plant protection  Enhance the capacity of the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN) Member Countries to identify plant pests and 
diseases; promote regional networking of this capacity; and 
stimulate adoption of new, diagnostic techniques.  Technical expertise, training, equipment  Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, 
Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic 
Republic , Malaysia, Myanmar, 
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, 
Viet Nam 
Animal health  Enhancing transboundary livestock disease risk management in 
Lao People's Democratic Republic . Research, technical assistance  Lao People's Democratic Republic  
Plant protection  Establishing the International Mungbean  Improvement Network.  Research, technical assistance  Bangladesh, India, Myanmar  
Plant protection  Evaluation of fruit fly populations surrounding an area -wide 
management zone.  Research, technical assistance  Indonesia  
Plant protection  Evaluation of prospects for biocontrol of invasive weeds in the 
Pacific.  Research, technical assistance  Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, 
Vanuatu  
Animal health  Forage options for smallholder livestock in water -scarce 
environments of Afghanistan.  Research, technical assistance  Afghanistan  
Animal health  Government Partnerships for Development Program (GPFD) 
Round One. The Village Poultry Health and Biosecurity program 
aims to improve poultry production in several pilot villages and 
strengthen biosecurity arrangements in Timor -Leste.  Advice, technical expertise, training, 
equipment  Timor -Leste   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 4 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Animal health  
Plant health  Identify and evaluate opportunities for integrated crop -livestock 
systems in north west Cambodia and assess options for adaptation 
to climate variability and change for farming systems in central 
west and north west NSW.  Advice, technical expertise, training  Cambodia  
Plant Protection  Identifying and managing Bacterial Crown Rot in Papaya.  technical expertise, training  Philippines  
Plant protection  Identifying appropriate strategies for reducing virus and weevil 
losses in sweet potato production systems in Papua New Guinea.  Research, technical assistance  Papua New Guinea  
Plant protection  Improve the management of biosecurity treatment systems by 
developing and implementing sustainable and appropriate 
biosecurity methodologies, systems and training programs. A 
key outcome of the program is to develop audit and compliance 
monitoring capabili ties, in collaboration with partner biosecurity 
agencies, to meet agreed minimum standards for the application 
of quarantine pre -shipment treatments.  Advice, technical expertise, training  Cambodia, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Lao 
People's Democratic Republic , Papua New 
Guinea, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam  
Animal health  Improving dairy cattle health and production in Viet Nam . Research, technical assistance  Viet Nam  
Animal health  Improving fish health management and production protocols in 
marine finfish aquaculture in Indonesia and Australia.  Research, technical assistance  Indonesia  
Plant protection  Improving income and nutrition in eastern and southern Africa 
by enhancing vegetable -based farming and food systems in peri -
urban corridors.  Research, technical assistance  Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania  
Animal health  Improving livelihoods of small -scale livestock producers in the 
central dry zone through research on animal production and 
health in Myanmar.  Research, technical assistance  Myanmar  
Animal health  Improving the production and competitiveness of Australian and 
Philippines pig production through better health and disease 
control.  Research, technical assistance  Philippines  
Animal health  IndoBeef strategic framework and cross -cutting themes.  Research, technical assistance  Indonesia  
Plant protection - 
crop improvement  Insect tolerant chickpeas for Bangladesh.  Research, technical assistance  Bangladesh  
Animal health  
Plant protection  Integrated agriculture/agribusiness education and training 
pathway.  
The Muresk Institute Pathway program brokers agricultural 
training with a range of education and training providers. It also 
provides an industry driven suite of short courses a ligned to 
contemporary practices in agriculture with a focus on technology 
adoption, biosecurity, animal welfare and innovative business 
practices.  Training  China  
Plant protection  Integrated crop management practices to enhance value chain 
outcomes for the mango industry in Pakistan and Australia - 
Phase 2.  Research, technical assistance  Pakistan  
Plant protection  Integrated crop management to enhance vegetable profitability 
and food security in the southern Philippines.  Research, technical assistance  Philippines  
Plant protection  Integrated disease management of sugarcane streak mosaic in 
Indonesia.  Research, technical assistance  Indonesia   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 5 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Plant protection - 
horticulture  Integrated disease management strategies for the productive, 
profitable and sustainable production of high quality papaya fruit 
in the southern Philippines.  Research, technical assistance  Philippines  
Plant protection - 
horticulture  Integrated management of Fusarium wilt of bananas in the 
Philippines.  Research, technical assistance  Philippines  
Plant protection  Life history, identity and damage assessment of Galip weevil.  Research, technical assistance  Papua New Guinea  
Plant protection  Management strategies for Acacia plantation diseases in 
Indonesia and Viet Nam . Research, technical assistance  Indonesia, Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Mango value chain improvement.  Research, technical assistance  Pakistan  
Plant protection - 
crop improvement  Mitigating the effects of stripe rust on wheat production in South 
Asia and eastern Africa.  Research, technical assistance  Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Pakistan  
Plant protection  Pacific Regional Agricultural Market Access Program (PRAMA). 
The program provides a mechanism to assist with facilitating 
export market opportunities for horticultural and other 
agricultural commodities. It assists Pacific Island countries to 
meet import quarantine requirements of key trading partners to 
facilitate impr oved rural livelihoods through functioning markets.  Grants, training  Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall 
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, 
Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, 
Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, 
Vanuatu  
Plant protection  Promote awareness of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) issues 
among plant health officials, including understanding of the 
linkages between plant health and trade, and introduce concepts 
relating to surveillance, diagnostics, information management, 
risk analysis and risk management.  Technical expertise, training  Bangladesh  
Plant protection - 
crop improvement  Protecting stored grains against pests.  Research, technical assistance  Timor -Leste, Tanzania  
Animal health - 
livestock production 
systems  Reducing disease risks and improving food safety in smallholder 
pig value chains in Viet Nam . Research, technical assistance  Viet Nam  
Plant protection  Strategies for using floriculture to improve livelihoods in 
indigenous Australian and Pacific island communities.  Research, technical assistance  Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands  
Plant protection  Strengthening integrated crop management research in the 
Pacific islands in support of sustainable intensification of high -
value crop production.  Research, technical assistance  Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga  
Plant protection  Sustainable wheat and maize production in Afghanistan.  Research, technical assistance  Afghanistan  
Plant protection  The Agricultural Productivity initiative supports the strengthening 
of the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock's 
(MAL) Cocoa Extensions Systems.  Technical assistance  Solomon Islands  
Animal health  The goal of the program is to enhance Indonesia’s human and 
animal disease prevention and response capacities to increase 
national, Australian and global biosecurity. This will be achieved 
by the following high level program outcomes: (1) Strengthened 
Indonesian government systems for integrated preparedness and 
rapid response to animal health and public health emergencies; 
(2) Strengthened Indonesian government animal health 
information system and public health surveillance systems, and Advice, technical expertise, training  Indonesia   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 6 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
the effective use o f information; and (3) Enhanced institutional 
and individual performance in leadership, management and 
evidence -based decision -making.  
Plant protection  The Australia -Africa Plant Biosecurity Partnership (AAPBP) is a 
plant biosecurity capacity development program using Australian 
expertise to strengthen biosecurity skills and planning in Africa. 
This will support increased production, market access for Afr ican 
farmers and improved food security.   Advice, training, technical assistance  Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, 
Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, 
Tanzania, Zambia , Zimbabwe  
Plant protection  The enhancement of citrus value chains production in Pakistan 
through improved orchard management practices.  Research, technical assistance  Pakistan  
Plant protection  The International Plant Health Surveillance Program conducts 
offshore plant health surveillance and capacity development 
activities with near neighbour biosecurity counterparts in Timor -
Leste and Papua New Guinea. The program delivers an annual 
program of field surveillance and scientific training (laboratory, 
diagnostics) activities with biosecurity counterparts to enhance 
pest early warning, build regional capacity and strengthen 
biosecurity capacity in Australia's northern neighbours.    Advice, technica l expertise, training, 
equipment  Papua New Guinea , Timor -Leste  
Animal and plant 
health  The Pacific Horticulture and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) 
Program Phase Two provides a mechanism to assist with 
facilitating export market opportunities for horticultural and 
other agricultural commodities.  Technical assistance  Fiji, Papua New Guinea , Samoa, Solomon 
Islands , Tonga, Vanuatu  
Plant protection  The Quarantine Regulators Meeting (QRM) provides a forum for 
engagement with overseas biosecurity agencies on collaborative 
border management, with particular regard to the management 
and safe movement of cargo in trade.  Advice, technical expertise  Cambod ia, Chile, India, Indonesia, 
Republic of Korea, Lao People's 
Democratic Republic , Malaysia, 
Myanmar, New Zealand, OIRSA (Central 
American regional biosecurity 
organisation representing Belize, Costa 
Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, 
Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua 
and Panama), Peru, Papua New Guinea, 
Philippines, Solomon I slands, Sri Lanka, 
Chinese Taipei , Viet Nam  
Plant protection  The Solomon Biosecurity Development Program (Phase One and 
Phase Two), has provided technical training and capacity 
development to the Solomon Islands Ministry of Agriculture and 
Biosecurity Authority (Biosecurity Solomon Islands) through the 
provision of biosecurity border operations, scientific, strategy 
and governance capacity development activities.  Advice, technical expertise, training, 
equipment  Solomon Islands  
Animal and plant 
health and food 
safety  The Standards and Trade Development Facility seeks to increase 
the capacity of developing countries to implement international 
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards to gain and maintain 
international agricultural market ac cess. Technical assistance  Multiple   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 7 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Animal health  The Village Poultry Health and Biosecurity (VPHB) Program is 
funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The 
VPHB Program aims to improve food availability by controlling 
diseases, through vaccination for Newcastle disease, and 
improve poultry management techniques in three pilot villages, 
and strengthening biosecurity arrangement to prevent incursions 
of serious poultry diseases in Timor -Leste.  Advice, technical expertise, training,  
equipment  Timor -Leste  
Plant health  To assist dryland farmers in Indonesia and New South Wales to 
increase the water and nitrogen use efficiency of dryland 
agriculture systems.  Advice, technical expertise, training  Indonesia (Banda Aceh)  
Animal health  To assist farming communities and management authorities to 
adapt irrigation structures in ways that protect fisheries.  Advice, technical expertise, training  Lao People's Democratic Republic  
Animal Health  To enhance mitigation of animal health risks to northern 
Australia through improving our knowledge of the animal health 
status of our northern neighbours, determining the animal health 
status of Australia's Indian Ocean territories and building 
capacity in our northern neighbours to dete ct, identify and 
manage animal health risks.  Advice, technical expertise, training , 
equipment  Indian Ocean territories , Papua New 
Guinea, Timor -Leste  
Animal health, plant 
health and food 
safety  To identify best practice policy settings for capturing low cost 
mitigation opportunities in developing and developed economies. 
Although the focus of research is India, the project seeks to 
inform the appropriate design of offset markets in Australia and 
is highly relevant to the future growth and pr oductivity of New 
South Wales (NSW) primary industries as well as the availability 
low cost carbon offsets to the NSW energy sector.  Advice, technical expertise  India 
Plant health  To improve vegetable industry profitability by improving 
adoption of integrated crop management practices and finding 
science based solutions to crop management problems.  Technical expertise, training  Philippines  
Animal health  To increase hatchery -based bivalve production in Viet Nam  and 
New South Wales to expand opportunities for coastal 
communities to rear bivalve molluscs.  Advice, technical expertise and training  Viet Nam  
Plant health  To manage all aspects of the introduction, documentation, 
quarantine and distribution of designated 
CIMMYT/ICARDA/ICRISAT bread wheat, durum wheat, faba 
bean, lentil, chickpea, barley and field pea germplasm.  Technical expertise  India, Mexico, Syria  
Plant health  To more effectively manage fruitspotting bug and reduce reliance 
on pesticides in subtropical fruit and nut crops using biological 
controls, improve reliability of mango cropping in Australia and 
improve the livelihoods of Cambodian mango farm ers. Advice, technical expertise, training  Cambodia  
Plant protection, 
food safety  To promote understanding and confidence in the use of ionizing 
radiation (irradiation) as a phytosanitary treatment.  Technical expertise, training  Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, India, 
Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Lao 
People's Democratic Republic , Malaysia, 
Myanmar, Philippines, Chinese Taipei , 
Thailand, Viet Nam   
  G/SPS/GEN/717/Add.6  
 
- 8 - Sector  Description of program  Form of assistance  Provided to  
Animal health and 
food safety  To provide sound evidence for livestock and grassland 
management options to help guide the Chinese Research and 
Development agencies on how to alleviate poverty and reduce 
further environmental damage on degraded grasslands by 
improving household incomes from livestock production while 
reducing graz ing pressures.  Advice, technical expertise, training  China  
Animal health  Village -based biosecurity for livestock disease risk management 
in Cambodia.  Research, technical assistance  Cambodia  
 
 
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