G/SPS/GEN/1604  
12 February  2018 
(18-0919) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE INTERNA TIONAL REGIONAL  
ORGANIZATION FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH (OIRSA)  
RELAT ING TO THE WTO AGREEMENT ON THE  
APPLICATION OF SANITARY AND  
PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES  
REPORT TO THE COMMITTEE ON SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES,  
OCTOBER  2017-JANUARY  2018 
The following communication, received on 8  February  2018, is being circulated at the request of 
OIRSA . 
 
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1  TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES RELATING TO 
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH AND TRADE  
1.1.  OIRSA  prepared and circulated its 2014 -2017 activity report . 
1.2.  An online training course on risk analysis and food safety was organized for participants from 
the OIRSA region and from Argenti na, Chile , Colombia, Ecuador , Paraguay, Peru, Spain  and 
Venezuela . 
1.3.  An online training course on good aquaculture practices, good practices aboard small vessels, 
and good manufacturing practices in processing plants was orga nized for participants from 
the OIRSA region and from Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Haiti, Peru and  Venezuela.  
1.4.  OIRSA produced a selection of videographic materials on the safety of foods of plant origin 
and good agricultural practices in respect of  fresh fruit and vegetables for e xport . These are used 
as support  materials for the current OIRSA/IICA online course on good agricultural practices . 
1.5.  OIRSA, in coordination with Mexico's National Agriculture and Food Health, Safe ty and Quality  
Service (SENASICA), organized training for food safety laboratory staff from the 
Honduran  National Agricultural Health Service (SENASA) on quality management systems and 
pesticide residue analysis . 
1.6.  In coordination with SENASICA  (Mexico) , OIRSA organized training for staff from the 
SENASA  food safety l aboratory  (Honduras)  on procedures for validating analytical methods for 
multi-residues in fruit and vegetables, quality management systems, ISO Standard  17025:2005 
and its more recent version  ISO Standard 17025:2017 , and ISO Standard  9001.  
1.7.  A course on sampling procedures at border checkpoints was held in Costa  Rica. 
1.8.  Three courses on the Australian Fumigation Accreditation Scheme (AFAS) were held 
in Nicaragua . 
1.9.  An AFAS course was also held in Costa Rica . G/SPS/GEN/1604  
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  1.10.   OIRSA, in coordination with the Ministry of Agricultural Development  (MIDA)  of Panama and 
SENASICA  (Mexico), organized training for canine units in Panama and Honduras . 
1.11.   Traceability operators and MIDA  officials working on Panama's borders and  in the fields  of 
regional animal health, quar antine and regional livestock  received training on bovine traceability 
and were informed of regional developments in this area . 
1.12.   Training was organized in Guatemala for staff from the Vice -Ministry of Agricultural Health 
and Regulations  of the Animal Health  Directorate  – Ministry of Agricul ture, Livestock and 
Food (VISAR -MAGA)  on the use of the apicultural traceability module of the Honey Chain 
Traceability in Guatemala project  (STDF/PG/5 15). 
1.13.   Training was provided to staff from the Livestock Traceability  Department of  the Nati onal 
Animal Health Directorate and the Executive Directorat e for Agricultural Quarantine of  MIDA , in 
order to support the implementation of Panama's National Bovine Traceability Programme within 
the framework of bovine animal movement co ntrol. 
1.14.   As part of the  OIRSA -Chinese Taipei/ICDF HLB project, OIRSA and the Ministry of 
Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) organized  a day of  intensive training on the integrated 
management of Huanglongbing in citrus fruit . The training was aimed at fif th-year agronomy 
students from the Escuela de Agricultura de Nor -Oriente  (EANOR).  
1.15.   A field day  was organized  at the citrus foundation stock and shoot multiplication 
greenhouses . Communication materials on the OIRSA -Chinese Taipei/ICDF HLB project were 
provided by El Salvador . 
1.16.   OIRSA shared its expertise on  HLB at the first international s eminar on 
citrus  HLB management in Colombia . The event brought together experts from B razil, Cuba, 
Mexico and Central  America . 
1.17.   Within the framework of the  OIRSA -Chinese Taipei/ICDF HLB project , an international forum 
on citrus HLB was held in El Salvador . The event wa s attended by delegates from 14  countries, 
Ministry of Agriculture technical staff, citrus producers and nursery workers, and universit y and 
research centre  staff. 
1.18.   A training workshop on healthy citrus plant production technology was organized  for 
Nicaraguan nursery workers at the nurseries of the National Agrarian University (UNA) of 
Nicaragua . 
1.19.   A presentation on healthy plant production using methodology developed by Chinese  Taipei 
was given to artisans and producers at the 37th orange fair in Churuquita  Grande , Panama . 
1.20.   A workshop was organized on the declaration of Xylella  fastidiosa -free production areas . 
Participants included officials  from the Ministry  of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of Guatemala , 
SENASICA  (Mexico), and the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) of Costa Rica . 
1.21.   A regional workshop for national fruit fly programme coordinators was  held in 
the Dominican  Republic  with a view to reviewing and concluding the regional diagnostic study on 
fruit fly management, control, eradication and information dissemination capacities . 
1.22.   OIRSA and the  Institute for Agricultural and Livestock Protection and Health  (IPSA) 
organized a workshop on biology, ecology and management in relation to the Central  American 
locust . The aim was to train technical personnel and producers from the west of the country and 
enhance the knowledge and capacities of IPSA plant health officials , so that they are better 
equipped to dete ct, diagnose , prevent, control and eradicate  infestations  of locusts of the species  
Schistocerca  piceifrons . 
1.23.   OIRSA organized a workshop entitled "Action Plan against Coffee Berry Disease (CBD)", 
which covered protocols for diagnosis, surveillance, detectio n, outbreak control, exclusion and risk 
communication in relation to this disease . G/SPS/GEN/1604  
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  1.24.   A workshop on the epidemiological surveillance of coffee plants in the OIRSA region was 
held in Mexico with a view to harmonizing national epidemiological surveillance syste ms for coffee 
pests in countries in the OIRSA region and strengtheni ng epidemiological surveillance, thereby 
ensuring the detection of pests and a quick response to outbreaks . 
1.25.   An online course on epidemiological surveillance in shrim p farming was made avai lable 
on OIRSA's virtual platform. 216 professionals and technical personnel took part in the course, 
which ran from September to October  2017. 
1.26.   OIRSA organized an online course for 165 professionals and technical personnel on sampling 
techniques for aquati c animals  and the packaging and handling of samples destined for reference 
laboratories . 
1.27.   The first inter -agency meeting on antimicrobial resistance was held in Guatemala . 
1.28.   The first 2018 meeting on antimicrobial resistance and the need for inter -agency 
coordination, organized by OIRSA  and involving  FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of 
Public  Health, professional association s, universities and the pharmaceutical industry , was held 
in Guatemala on 2 6 January  2018. 
1.29.   OIRSA gave a wareness -raising talks on the importance of epidemiological surveillance in 
relation to vesicular diseases and screwworm , to veterinarians and producers from El  Salvador and 
Costa  Rica. 
1.30.   An international workshop on building capacity to respond to health emergencies 
(Good Emergency Management Practices, GEMP ), jointly organized by OIRSA,  FAO and 
APHIS -USDA, was held in Managua, Nicaragua from 17 to 2 0 October  2017. The workshop was 
attended by specialists from the veterinary services of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, 
Nicaragua and Panama . 
1.31.   OIRSA  encouraged and financial ly support ed the participation of four delegates from 
OIRSA  member  countries in a  theoretical and practical course  on the diagnosis and epidemiology 
of emerging and re -emerging bacterial and paras itic diseases in bovine animals . The course, 
organized by the United Nations University,  was held from 13 to 2 5 November  2017 in Quito, 
Ecuador . 
1.32.   OIRSA provided technical, logistical and financial support for a day of training and discussion 
with Salvadoran beek eepers . The event was jointly organized by the Honey Chain Association 
(Cadena de la Miel ), Miel es Joya de Cerén, Swisscontact and  OIRSA, with a view to unifying 
sanitary aspects and requirements in relation to the quality and safety of apicultural product s. 
1.33.   OIRSA provided financial support for a regional workshop on the Incident Command System 
(ICS) . The workshop, organized in conjunction with USDA -APHIS , was held in Guatemala from 
29 January  to 1 February  2018. 
2  SUPPORT FOR THE HARMONIZATION AND EQUIVALENC E PROCESS  
2.1.  OIRSA produced a number of manuals on the safety of foods of animal and plant origin . 
These covered the following areas : basic procedures governing food safety risk analysis ; good 
aquaculture p ractices  (GAP) ; good practices aboard small vessels ; good manufacturing practices 
for fishery and aquaculture products ; training on plant production systems for safety auditors  
(primary production, packing plants  and HACCP  system ); and training on cattle, swine and poultry 
production systems and the HACCP s ystem for safety auditors . OIRSA also prepared a  quick-start 
guide for statistical sampling in epidemio logical surveillance programmes, covering  microbiolo gical 
agents and toxic residues . 
2.2.  OIRSA , with the support of SENASICA's National Reference Centre for Pesticides and 
Contaminants (Mexico), concluded a diagnostic study  of the analytical capacity  and quality 
management systems of the laboratories of the Ministries and Secretariats of Agriculture and 
Livestock of the membe r countries of the OIRSA region . The aim of this activity was to  define  a 
strategy to enhance the performance of these laboratories . G/SPS/GEN/1604  
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  2.3.  Material s upport was provided to improve the National Animal Health Service laboratory that 
analyses veterinary medicines and contaminants of animal origin in  Costa Rica.  
2.4.  OIRSA provided support to the BAHA laboratory in  Belize to help it through the initial phase 
of accreditation for Salmonella  testing.  
2.5.  OIRSA helped to organize six working sessions of the National Veterinary Drug Committee 
in Guatemala . The purpose of these sessions was to harmonize criteria for the interpretation and 
implementation of the Central American Technical Regulation on veterinary drugs , in order to 
facilitate its implementation in Central America . 
2.6.  OIRSA organized and participate d in the  sixth meeting of the Technical Group on P lant a nd 
Animal Health and Food S afety (SAIA) of the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC) , held 
in El Salvador in October  2017. The purpose of the event was to disc uss and approve the proposed 
regula tions on the prevention, control and eradication of Newcastle disease  resulting from 
project  STDF/PG/358, so that they  could subsequently be sent to the Executive Secretariat of 
the CAC for national approval and, in turn, be approved by the CAC Council of Ministers for 
adoption as a Central American Technical  Regulation.  
2.7.  OIRSA continued working to improve the regional quarantine early warning system, which 
issues a warning if quarantine pests are intercepted at border checkpoints of OIRSA  member 
countries . 
3  PREVENTION, CONTROL AND ERADICATION ACTIVITIES (PROGRAMMES OR 
CAMPAIGNS)  
3.1.  An event was held in Nicaragua to mark the conclusion of the OIRSA -Chinese Taipei/ICDF 
HLB project  and to launch a crop of h ealthy citrus plants . Nicaragua now  has a new and modern  
citrus shoot multiplier greenhouse and facilities for cultivating healthy citrus plants, with a total 
yearly production capacity of at least  80,000  healthy citrus shoots for  certified nurseries and 
40,000  commercial citrus plants . 
3.2.  A simulation exercise was organized to prepare for  a Foc TR4  outbreak in Guatemala . 
Practical exercises focused on the steps to be taken in the event of a n outbreak of 
banana  Fusarium wilt caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum  f.sp. cubense  (Foc-TR4).  
3.3.  A Foc TR4 outbreak simulati on workshop was held in the Dominican Republic with a view to 
ensuring surveillance and the application of control measures in the event of an outbreak . 
Participants were updated on the current situation and on continental action plan  requirements 
should the fu ngus be detected . 
3.4.  OIRSA continued to support and monitor epidemiological surveillance activities in respect of 
classical swine fever and related diseases in Guatemala.  
3.5.  OIRSA monitored the implementation of national epidemiological surveillance progra mmes for 
vesicular diseases and cattle screwworm . 
3.6.  Steps were taken to monitor low -pathogenicity H5N2 avian influenza control and eradication 
activities in Guatemala and  El Salvador . Work plans and  levels of compliance therewith were 
reviewed in conjunction  with the veterinary services of each country . 
3.7.  OIRSA monitored the implementation of the national epidemiological surveillance programme 
for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in Guatemala.  
3.8.  OIRSA supported  and monitored the Honduran National Poultry Pr ogramme restructuring 
process . It also gave its support in the review of the epidemiologica l sampling design for 
Newcastle  disease and avian influenza . 
3.9.  OIRSA provided technical and financial support to the Dominican Republic to help the country  
control a nd eradicate outbreaks of low-pathogenicity H5N2 avian influenza . 
3.10.   OIRSA provided technical and financial support to Guatemala for the self -declaration of 
areas free of low -pathogenicity H5N2 avian influenza in the Verapaz departments . G/SPS/GEN/1604  
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  4  STRENGTHENING OF NATI ONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ORDER TO FACILITATE TRADE  
4.1.  OIRSA participated in the SPS working group at bilateral meetings of the 
Guatemala -Honduras customs union , an initiative recently joined by El  Salvador . 
4.2.  OIRSA support was also given to the Honduran National Ag riculture and Food Health and 
Safety  Service to ensure compliance with trade requirements concerning traceability of origin for 
exports of farmed shrimp . 
4.3.  OIRSA conducted t he second stage of a research s tudy to determine the cause of higher than 
acceptable levels of glycerol in Salvadoran honey , with a view to establishing a roadmap to 
manage and control the situation . 
4.4.  OIRSA provided Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama  with 
diagnostic kits for classical swine fever in order to enhance epidemiological surveillance for this 
disease . 
4.5.  Guatemala and Honduras were provided with d iagnostic kits for bovine spongiform 
encephalopathy (BSE) . 
4.6.  OIRSA , in conjunction with the veterinary service of Guatemala and the private dairy sector, 
review ed and updated the procedural manual for the national programme on the progressive 
control of bovine brucellosis, a pro duct of the SDTF/PG/358 project . 
5  STRATEGIC ALLIANCES FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND TRADE  
5.1.  Work continued on the creation of the Internat ional Consortium on Risk Analysis and Safety 
with the participation of North American universities and international bodies involved in the safety 
of food of animal and plant origin . 
5.2.  Chinese Taipei formalized the tenth financial contribution to the continu ation of the activities 
of the HLB project, an initiative under which 14 greenhouses have been built for the production of 
healthy citrus  plant material , and more than 5,500 citrus fruit growers have received training , 
in Belize , the Dominican Republic,  El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua . 
5.3.  Mexico's National Forestry Commission  (CONAFOR) and OIRSA signed a memorandum of 
understanding with a view to enhancing cooperation on forest health through specific programmes 
in different areas of interest . 
5.4.  OIRSA and the North American Plant Protection Organization ( NAPPO ) have signed a letter of 
understanding to collaborate in activities that facilitate the safe movement of regulated plants, 
products and other items in North and Central America and the Domin ican Republic . 
5.5.  OIRSA participated in the 29th meeting of regional plant protection organizations, where it 
discussed technical developments and progress made in capacity  building during  technical 
consultations with counterpart organizations from around the  world . 
5.6.  OIRSA took part in the second regular meeting of the  PROMECAFE  Technical Committee 
in Nicaragua.  
5.7.  OIRSA actively participated in the technical working groups of the International Cargo 
Cooperative Biosecurity Arrangement (ICCBA).  
5.8.  OIRSA signed techni cal cooperation agreements with the N ational Agriculture and 
Food Health and Safety Service (SENASA) on the development of a traceabili ty, health and safety 
module.  
5.9.  OIRSA is supporting the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) in the 
implement ation of the Honey Chain Traceability in Guatemala project (STDF/PG/515 ). G/SPS/GEN/1604  
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  5.10.   OIRSA is implementing the Regional Project for the Accreditation of Laboratory Diagnostic 
Tests for Animal Diseases (STDF/PG/495 ). 
5.11.   OIRSA is also implementing a regional project to support the development of national 
antimicrobial resistance (AMR) action plans in Latin America and the Caribbean 
(FMM/RLA/215/MUL ). 
5.12.   The FAO -OIRSA technical cooperation project on the strengthening of agricultural health 
services between the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic (TCP/RLA/3502)  is being 
finalized . 
5.13.   A technical administrative cooperation agreement has been concluded  between MAGA and 
OIRSA  to implement the programme for the control and gradual eradication of bovine brucellosis 
and tube rculosis in Guatemala . 
5.14.   A FAO – USDA/APHIS – OIRSA alliance has been formed to implement the Incident 
Command System (ICS) in the OIRSA region . 
5.15.   FAO and OIRSA formed an alliance to establish an interface between the 
TICSAN  programme (FAO) for epidemiological  surveillance and TRAZAR AGRO (OIRSA), with a 
view to creating  a single technological platform to record ep idemiological events in 
Central  American countries . 
 
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