Executive Summary
Government of Kenya, USAID (Feed the Future Program), KEPHIS and COPE organized the 2nd Phytosanitary conference from June 4th to 8th 2018 at KEPHIS Headquarters, Nairobi, Kenya where plant health experts from the Eastern Africa region and COMESA countries shared their achievements, challenges and opportunities in application of phytosanitary (plant health) measures towards assuring market access, safe food and food security. The theme was
“Phytosanitary Systems for Safe Trade and food Security”
. The aim of the conference was to provide opportunities to discuss phytosanitary systems’ issues experienced by the different countries in the region. The main themes of the conference were:- Pest Surveillance in Phytosanitary Systems
- Import Control and Quarantine Regulations in Phytosanitary Systems
- Pest Diagnostics in Phytosanitary Systems
- Export Control in Phytosanitary Systems
- Industry participation in Phytosanitary Systems
- Technologies and Innovation in Phytosanitary Systems
- Food safety issues in phytosanitary systems (MRLs, Heavy metals and Aflatoxins)
- Cross-cutting issues in phytosanitary systems (to include capacity building, legal requirements, communication in phytosanitary, GMOs, Biosafety, emerging phytosanitary issues e.g. new pests)
4th to 8th June, 2018 KEPHIS Headquarters, Oloolua Ridge-Karen.
Participants to the workshop were drawn from various institutions which included but was not limited to National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs), government (Regulatory agencies, policy makers, extension agents), Private/Industry – Farmer, exporter organizations and others, International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), Inter-African Phytosanitary Council (IAPSC), RECs (COMESA, EAC , SADC, ECOWAS), International Organizations and NGOs, Academic and Research Institutions and development partner agencies. In total, more than seventeen (17) countries and twenty five (25) institutions attended the conference and 46 papers were presented; there were 2 panel sessions on contemporary phytosanitary issues. A field visit to a flower farm was organized.
Prof. Anne Muigai - Representing the Chairperson, KEPHIS Board of Directors
Side-by-side with the conference were training sessions between 5-8th June 2018, where 294 farmers, 25 seed sellers and 56 youth were trained on various issues affecting them. All the participants were drawn from different parts of the country. Also an exhibition was running hand in hand with these training and conference; it is estimated that over 300 persons visited the exhibition.
Ms. Tina Dooley - Jones (Mission Director, Kenya and Eastern Africa, USAID)
KEPHIS reaffirms its commitment to creating a conducive environment for the realization of stakeholders engagement in Agricultural development initiatives; their potential to contribute to the sector and indeed to the overall economic development, food safety, food security and nutrition.