WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/1050 
14 October 2010 
 
 (10-5279) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   Spanish 
  
 
REPORT ON ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN BY THE INTERNATIONAL REGIONAL 
ORGANIZATION FOR PLANT AND ANIMAL HEALTH (OIRSA) IN 
RELATION TO THE AGREEM ENT ON THE APPLICATION 
OF SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY MEASURES 
 
Report to the 49
th meeting of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  
20 and 21 October 2010  
   The following communication, received on 13 Octo ber 2010, is being circulated at the request 
of OIRSA
. 
 
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1. Specific support for agricultural production chains 
1. In conjunction with national sanitary and phytosanitary aut horities and the private sector, 
OIRSA is continuing to implement sanitary and phytosanitary programmes in support of agri-food 
chains.  The following actions were carri ed out during the past three months. 
Phytosanitary programme in support of the citrus fruit production chain  
2. OIRSA collaborated with Mexico's National Agri culture and Food Health, Safety and Quality 
Service (SENASICA/SAGARPA) to coordinate and finance the visit by experts from Brazil's Fund 
for Citrus Plant Protection (FUNDECITRUS).  Wo rkshops on the control of  Huanglongbing (HLB) 
were held in order to share Br azil's successes in contro lling this devastating disease.  The workshops 
were attended by some 350 producers from se veral citrus-growing states in Mexico. 
3. By providing the technical assistance of interna tional experts on pests of the family Thripidae 
(Thrips and Frankliniella), OIRSA has supported me mber countries in bolstering their systems for 
identifying and controlling these pests.  Amongst othe r things, the assistance has included the use of 
software to identify and build up  capacity in the process of collecting, preserving, sending, preparing 
and mounting specimens in laboratories.  In ad dition, field management strategies have been 
promoted such as crop rotation, the use of biologi cal controllers like entomopathogenic fungi and the 
release of predators of the pest such as the Orius insidiosus  bug.  These pests constitute a serious 
phytosanitary threat to the region's fruit and vegetable crops. 
Phytosanitary programme in support of the vegetable production chain  
4. With the technical assistance of experts from Spain and Argentina, the Workshop on the 
tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta Meyrick) was held  in Honduras.  The event will form the basis for 
conducting the survey to detect this pest and for establishing a regional and in ternational network of 
specialists in the subject. G/SPS/GEN/1050 
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  5. In Honduras, OIRSA cooperated with the aut horities of the National Agricultural Health 
Service (SENASA/SAG), the United States Department  of Agriculture (USDA), universities such as 
the Autonomous University of Sinaloa and the University of Arizona, as well as the Honduran 
Agricultural Research Foundation (FHIA) to stage the regional workshop on the theme "Potato psyllid/Ca.  Liberibacter solanacearum :  A new bacterial-insect vector complex causing 
diseases of potato and tomato in the Americas".  This event took place in response to the mandate 
given to OIRSA by the region's Ministers or Secret aries of Agriculture to take action to obtain 
technical assistance in the prevention and control of  the pest.  In turn, an d in compliance of the 
aforesaid mandate, a national course on th e management of the Paratrioza ( Bactericera cockerelli ) 
and its association with the Candidatus bacteria Liberibacter solanacearum  was held in Nicaragua. 
6. To support the National Plant Health Directorate (DNSV/MIDA), an intensive training 
programme on the Anastrepha grandis  pest was held in Panama, designed to boost the campaign to 
monitor and detect this disease.  In addition, OIRSA emergency funds and technical assistance are 
providing support for the programme to eradicate the disease in Panama's Darién province, which borders on Colombia. 
Health programme in support of the bovine production chain
 
7. With the support of OIRSA and the Ministries or Secretariats of Agriculture and Livestock, 
studies were launched to determine the prevalen ce of bovine brucellosis and tuberculosis in 
El Salvador, Nicaragua, Belize and Honduras. 
Health programme in support of the poultry production chain  
8. In the framework of the Regional Health Progr amme for Backyard Poultry, which is being 
supported financially by the Chinese Taipei Gove rnment, action plans have been drawn up and 
approved for Belize, Guatemala, El Salv ador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the 
Dominican Republic.  The aim of this programme is  to improve on food security and home economics 
in small rural communities by enha ncing the conditions of production,  health, genetics and nutritional 
status of backyard poultry. 
Health programme in support of the swine production chain  
9. Through the Regional Project for the prevention, control and eradication of classical swine 
fever (PREFIP III), being carried out with the fi nancial support of the Chinese Taipei Government 
and OIRSA, a regional simulation was undertaken in  Guatemala in order to buttress the official 
veterinary departments of the countries in  Central America, Belize, Panama and the 
Dominican Republic through training and the impl ementation of a single regional strategy.  This 
strategy is in line with the OIE guidelines and paves the way for early detection and immediate 
response should a focus of emerging or exotic diseases in pigs be identified. 
2. Training, technical assistance and dissemination activities relating to agricultural health 
and trade 
10. The training course in bee health was held in Nicaragua with a focus on pathology and 
diagnosis. 
11. In Honduras, OIRSA supported the training programme for SENASA inspectors in the 
Verification of Good Agricultural Practices ( GAPs) and Good Manageme nt Practices (GMPs) - 
Inspector's Manual, Fruit and Vegetable Section.  G/SPS/GEN/1050 
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  12. In Honduras, and with the technical assist ance of ANFACO-CECOPESCA of Spain, OIRSA 
ran the Course on Validation and Uncertainty in Physical-Chemical Testing - Standard 
UNE-EN ISO/IEC 17025 and Decision 657/2002/EC, wh ich trained 16 residue analysis laboratory 
technicians from the Central American  countries and the Dominican Republic. 
13. In coordination with the Directorate of Agricultural and Food Safety (DIA/MAGFOR), a 
training seminar/workshop on hygiene and safety of  fishery products was held in Nicaragua, with 
emphasis on European Union legislation and the outcomes of the latest  DG-SANCO audits of 
countries in the region. 
14. Support was given in Honduras to the Food Safe ty Division (DIA/SENASA/SAG) in carrying 
out a preliminary inspection concerning the health of fishery and aquaculture products from the 
southern region. 
15. Support was also given in Honduras to the DIA/SENASA/SAG in conducting preliminary 
GAPs and GMPs-related inspection visits to pinea pple and banana producers that export to the 
United States, in preparation for a visit by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 
16. Taking place in Costa Rica is the regional traine rs workshop for the fruit and vegetable sector 
(good agricultural practices, pesticide residues and contaminants, GMP, "Sanitation Standard 
Operating Procedures" (SSOP) and traceability).  The workshop is a joint effort by the 
State Phytosanitary Service (SFE/MAG), JIFSAN, FDA and OIRSA. 
17. At the Eighteenth International Congress of Producers and Exporters of Melon and 
Watermelon, organized by the Federation of Agro -Exporters of Honduras (FPX), a keynote address 
was given on the theme of how to prevent and control the microbiological contamination of fresh fruit 
and vegetables.  A similar presentation was made during the Fourteenth Agricultural Exports 
Congress 2010, organized by the Group of Non-Trad itional Agro-Exporters of Panama (GANTRAP). 
18. OIRSA assisted with and facilitated the techni cal visit to Mexico by officials of the 
Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) an d from Panama's private sector to familiarize 
themselves with the work experience of the Sina loa State Plant Health Committee (CESAVESIN).  
The basis of the Committee is the regional organi zation of agricultural producers into local plant 
health boards with a view to implementing phyt osanitary programmes and strategies to prevent, 
control and eradicate agricultural pests and di seases.  This improves competitiveness in the 
production, handling and national and interna tional marketing of agricultural produce. 
19. The Manual of Good Manufacturing Practices fo r Honey Export Plants is being updated by 
the OIRSA Ad Hoc Group on Apicultural Health and Safety. 
20. In Panama, the USDA, the Panamanian Food Sa fety Authority (AUPSA) and OIRSA together 
ran the first training session for AUPSA inspectors. 
21. At the Eleventh National Congress of Veterina ry Medicine organized by the Panamanian 
Association of Veterinary Surgeons, a keynote address was delivered on "The Use of Veterinary 
Drugs in Food-Producing Animals". 
3. Support for the harmonization process 
22. As a Regional Plant Protection Organization (R PPO) and pursuant to the International Plant 
Protection Convention (IPPC), OIRSA took part in  Technical Consultation No. 22 amongst RPPOs.  
The meeting addressed topics such as the future of plant health and the IPPC;  and the business plan G/SPS/GEN/1050 
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  of the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, a nd roles and activities of RPPOs:  updating of 
e-certification. 
23. Moreover, in coordination with and in support of the National Plant Protection Organizations 
(NPPOs) of its member countries, OIRSA organize d the national and regional review of the draft 
International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) submitted for consultation by the IPPC in 
2010.  National consultations took place in Guatem ala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama 
and Belize, with the participati on of producers, university lecturers and researchers.  A regional 
workshop was held in El Salva dor and attended by NPPO author ities.  Its observations were 
transmitted to the IPPC.  The ISPM drafts submitte d for consultation were:  (a) Systems approaches 
for pest risk management of fruit flies (TEPHRITIDAE);  (b) Appendix to ISPM No. 15 (2009), 
Submission of new treatments for inclusion in ISPM  No. 15;  (c) Integrated measures approach for 
managing pest risks associated with international tr ade of plants for planting;  (d) Appendix to ISPM 
No. 28 (2009), Irradiation treatment for Ceratitis capitata ;  (e) Appendix to ISPM No. 27 (2010), 
Diagnostic protocol for Plum pox virus. 
4. Strengthening of national institutions in order to facilitate trade 
24. STDF project 284 "Strengthening the Hondur an National Committee on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures" was launched with the support of the Standards and Trade Development 
Facility (STDF). 
25. As the entity responsible for the monitoring and surveillance of STDF project 238 
"Development of accredited HACCP certification schemes for processed food products" being implemented by AGEXPORT in Guatemala, OIRSA is undertaking the relevant follow-up and has 
facilitated the project's execution by signing a cooperation agreement with AGEXPORT for direct 
payment of the international c onsulting firm selected to advise HACCP inspection agencies on 
HACCP and ISO 17020 issues. 
5. Strategic alliances for the promotion of health and trade 
26. Operations were launched under the project "H armonized Systems of Bovine Traceability in 
Central America, Belize, Panama and the Dominican Republic", which is a strategic alliance with the 
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB).  Thr ough its regional public goods programme, the 
IADB is providing US$1.2 million, which ar e matched by regional counterpart funds worth 
US$700,000.  The activities carried out include:  familiarizing the main players in the bovine 
production chain with this programme and analysi ng prior experiences in the implementation of 
traceability programmes in member countries. 
27. OIRSA is supporting the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in the Technical 
Cooperation among Countries (TCC) project aimed at strengthening the programme of epidemiological surveillance and response to outbr eaks of equine encephalitis.  Such cooperation 
involves building technical capacity for dia gnosis and epidemiological surveillance. 
28. OIRSA has extended its cooperation with the USDA, leading to the signing of a Food Safety 
Cooperation Agreement.  OIRSA and APHIS/USDA recently held a regional workshop in Honduras 
on molluscs of quarantine significance. 
 In the framework of the alliance between OIRSA and the International Atomic Energy 
Agency (IAEA) for implementation of the project on  fruit fly-free and low prevalence areas, the joint 
task force held a coordination meeti ng to discuss the project during the 8
th International Symposium 
on Fruit Flies of Economic Importance, held in Valencia, Spain.  OIRSA provided support for 
officials from the region's Ministries or Secretar iats of Agriculture to attend this event.  G/SPS/GEN/1050 
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   For further information or comments on this  report please contact Edwin Mauricio Aragón 
Rojas, e-mail:  earagon@oirsa.org ;  or visit the website:  http://www.oirsa.org/ . 
 
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