ALICOM 99/24  |
| ALICOM 99/24 |
Conference on International Food Trade
|
Technical Assistance Needs of Developing Countries and Mechanisms to Provide Technical Assistance |
by |
Ms K. Sinsakul, Secretary-General, Thai Industrial Standards Institute |
II. Causes of sanitary problems affecting food trade
III. Mechanisms for Solving Problems
A. Planting and farm management systems
B. Manufacturing management systems
C. Increasing participation in international standards preparation
1. Due to their advantages in terms of labour and natural resources, many developing countries become major producers and exporters of various food products that have great export value and growth potential. However, during the past decade, such advantages have narrowed as changes have occurred in the world economy and trade. Changes, such as the move towards freer trade and the merging of economic groups in different regions to benefit production and marketing capability have added to intensifying competition in the world market which will most likely be even more severe in the future. Such competition certainly impacts on the export of agricultural products of all developing countries.
2. Under current international trade rules, trade protection through the implementation of tariff measures is prohibited by provisions of the WTO Agreements. Some countries, therefore, have sought to use non-tariff measures such as the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures in the form of standards and technical regulations as a means of restricting trade. For example, limits on food additives, contaminants, veterinary drug residues, and pesticide residues have been established and with which exporters and importers must comply. This is a major obstacle for developing countries which export food as they must find ways of keeping better informed on latest developments and of participating in negotiations aimed at eliminating trade barriers. In addition, and in order to ensure their markets and export growth, developing countries must take the steps necessary to adopt measures which are required both in the short and long terms to improve the quality of raw materials and processes relevant to food production, as well as testing and conformity assessment so as to satisfy international sanitary and quality requirements imposed by the world market. Such actions will help sustain the growth of food exports from developing countries where agricultural products not only have high added value per unit, but supply a large amount of raw materials to the manufacturing sector. Any blocking of agricultural industries, would have severe effects on the economy of any developing country as the agricultural sector is labour intensive and involves a large part of the population.
3. Sanitary problems may and do occur at every stage of food production. It has been found that problems originate mainly at the stage of raw material production. Poor quality raw materials can create many problems at later stages of production when remedies are difficult to apply. If raw materials with non-resolved sanitary defects such as food contaminants, pesticide residues and veterinary drug residues can make their way into the manufacturing industry, the ultimate result can be that the food products are produced with sanitary flaws that are not acceptable to trading partners. On the other hand, if such raw materials are rejected and are prevented from further use by the industry they will become wasted and that affects farmers' incomes. Moreover, they may be consumed domestically and create health problems for local populations. Therefore, solving the problem of poor quality, hazardous and otherwise unacceptable raw material production must be done in a systematic manner.
4. Farmers need to be educated in the skills of farm management involving the adoption of good agricultural practices, the correct use of dangerous materials in agricultural production, harvesting at the correct time, as well as become informed about genetic developments with respect to plants and animals, so as to produce raw materials that are of good quality, safe and that are resistant to diseases and pests. As a consequence, farmers will achieve higher yields and be able to supply products that are safe for consumption.
5. Many farmers in developing countries lack means, knowledge and understanding of various technologies necessary for managing their farms, fields and crops, including, in many instances, little understanding of effective post-harvest handling practices. Poor management results in the raw materials produced being inferior in quality, unfit for consumption, prone to microbiological contamination, subject to the presence of chemical residues and generally being hazardous to health. These deficiencies diminish trust between the agricultural and food processing sectors and reduce the potential benefits from food exports. Moreover, hygienic control in the processing of raw materials has not been efficient or effective. There are inadequate primary production plants and facilities, including meat processors who are unable to meet international requirements. Plant and animal genetic studies and development of proper techniques are required so as to improve raw materials obtained from farming, livestock production and fisheries, and that are of suitable quality to meet the requirements of international markets, especially the needs of developed countries. The adoption of appropriate measures by developing countries for the adequate control of imported raw materials is also needed to prevent entry of contaminated products into the agricultural and food systems.
6. Many manufacturers in developing countries have not yet implemented hygiene and environmental management systems so as to be able to meet international requirements. In many cases, this is because of the lack of understanding and knowledge about relevant regulations, standards and codes of practice adopted by importing countries. The lack of complete and updated information on international requirements of sanitation and quality of food products makes it very difficult for developing countries to meet the necessary requirements and thus compete successfully in the world food trade arena.
7. In addition, government authorities in developing countries who have very important roles in monitoring food quality and safety aspects still need to establish a solid networking arrangement amongst themselves. There are many developing countries that have more than one agency responsible for the control of food quality and safety. However, in many cases there is a noticeable lack of coordination and cooperation amongst them whereas their control activities should be coordinated to ensure a cooperative implementation of their food control programmes. For instance, HACCP certification for manufacturers by government agencies in developing countries is still operated with limited capability and resources, if it is being operated at all.
8. Check analysis of laboratory results is necessary for ensuring proper food quality control. Still, in the developing world there are not enough testing and calibration laboratories to handle the products to be tested, and often the existing laboratories are incapable of conducting certain tests because the methods are new or there is a limitation on testing facilities, equipment and competent personnel. These inadequacies may result in failure to establish equivalence of competence, resulting in many importers rejecting the test reports from developing countries.
9. In principle, all WTO countries are encouraged to participate in the formulation of international standards. In reality, however, developing countries participation is somewhat handicapped, especially in the case of participating in the work of establishing Codex standards and in sectors where technical data is required. This is one of the problems of all developing countries whose participation is hindered by inadequate financial resources and lack of background knowledge, experience, skill and information generally. At times, it has been found that Codex standards cannot be followed by some developing countries or that the standards do not cover products exported by them, both circumstances therefore posing a threat to their trading potential. Such is the case with minor crops, tropical fruits being a good example. These are products which may be major exports from a developing country, but at the same time may have little trade significance or volume in the world market. Very few of the Codex Codex standards for pesticide residues relate to those products, mostly because they originate from developing countries which have little, if any, research data available for those products. Hence, more often than not, the export of those products from developing countries suffer rejection due to the lack of scientifically based standards.
10. Developing countries often find themselves defenseless when at the negotiating table dealing with the issues of sanitation and quality of their agricultural products. This is because they have, in many instances a lack of technical information, including dietary intake data. As a result, they need to more efficiently coordinate and involve the public and private sectors in identifying and solving the problems. They must be more prepared in order to overcome trade barriers and provide technical proof in cases where negotiation is necessary or disputes result.
11. Farmers in developing countries normally regrow the same kind of plants in the same fields over a long period with very little, if any, crop rotation. As a consequence, there is an unsatisfactory build-up of pests associated with those plants. The solution to this problem may simply consist of switching from single cropping to crop rotation involving a variety of different crops. This will cut down the pests' food supply, and hence their breeding. Moreover, growing more than one type of crop means a greater variety of foods. Farmers should be allowed other "alternatives" for pest control, e.g. use of natural substances and natural predators. Where necessary, chemical substances should be the last option and the use must be technically correct. Integrated pest management control practices should be implemented.
12. The growth of animal production and fish farming in developing countries is increasing rapidly. New technology is being used to accelerate productivity. Use in animal feed of additives and antibiotics is now common among farming industries. This is not without the risks of leaving residues in animal tissue and meat products that might prove harmful to consumers. A recent example is the residues of dioxin found in chicken and eggs being processed in Europe. Today, many countries prohibit the use of various antibiotics and other chemical compounds in meat production and actively promote the concept of animal welfare. Animal farming now requires a sanitary management system where use of drugs can be controlled and contamination from the environment can be reduced. Developing countries must find ways and means to implement and manage their farming systems along these lines, effectively controlling the use of veterinary drugs and other compounds. The implementation of Good Agricultural Practices along with Good Animal Practices is essential.
13. To ensure that food produced is of good quality and safe, manufacturers must operate a management system for sanitary and food safety control. Appropriate management systems for the food industry should be based on a programme that will facilitate the implementation of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plans which emphasize prevention of safety hazards, thereby reducing unnecessary loss. There must also be a basic understanding of good manufacturing practices coupled with good hygienic practices.
14. Developing countries realize the importance of implementing food sanitary measures in the food industry. Both public and private sectors are engaged in providing training, through seminars and workshops, for food manufacturers. At the same time, Codex HACCP is being adopted as the national food safety control standard, and manufacturers can apply for certification of their HACCP plan from the responsible food control authority.
15. Being aware of the existing restraints to their involvement in the preparation of international and regional standards such as those prepared by Codex, ISO, IEC and APEC, many developing countries are attempting to improve their participation. Recently, there has been an increase in comments from them on draft international standards, especially by way of supplying data necessary in the drafting stages. Many countries have allocated an increased budget for data research, and engage competent bodies to conduct studies, compile data, and properly train researchers.
16. In areas such as the development of Codex standards for pesticide residues that require extensive resources in terms of budget and technical competence, some countries are attempting to collaborate at the regional level to jointly conduct the studies so as to minimize costs, share the experience and hopefully to obtain considerably more data. An example is a grouping of ASEAN countries under the Programme " Harmonization of Maximum Residue Limits of Pesticides in Vegetables and the Establishment of ASEAN Pesticide Database Networking".
17. Developing countries rely on food exporting to obtain foreign exchange. They realize that export food control systems need to be appropriately designed to insure safety of food products, and facilitate the flow of international trade. Therefore, it is in their interests to strengthen their national food control infrastructures, align the national food requirements with international standards, and operate conformity assessment procedures in compliance with the SPS and TBT Agreements. However, developing countries still lack the various infrastructures needed to acquire recognition of their control systems and certification. For example, some lack adequately trained technical and administrative personnel, essential equipment, competent inspectors, adequately qualified food analysts familiar with modern analytical procedures, and technicians capable of calibrating laboratory equipment. In this regard, financial assistance is required as well as expert advice and assistance with training.
18. WTO encourages the use of international standards in international trading. Codex requires that its standards must be the result of science based decisions taking into account risk assessment, thereby providing the greatest possible guarantee of food quality and safety. It is also required that Codex standards be transparent. Much importance has been placed on the scientific quantitative and qualitative aspects of the data used in standards making. Some countries insist that the data used must be obtained from accredited laboratories. Many of these requirements, for instance risk assessment, are new to developing countries. Lack of information on national consumption data, and toxicology, coupled with the unavailability of information from supporting organizations including analytical laboratories make the application of risk analysis most difficult. Therefore, assistance is required by way of funding and the training of personnel to support studies and research associated with assembling data for use in the preparartion of standards.
19. Under the WTO Agreements, especially the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, standards and regulations are very important in the facilitation of world food trade. It is necessary for developing countries to fully understand the regulations and standards of importing countries, since misinformation may result in products being rejected at port of entry. Yet, access by food exporters to information about the requirements of importing countries is not without difficulties or complications. These include too many import food regulatory bodies in the same country, regulations existing in only languages that must be translated, frequent changes to regulatory requirements, and complicated notification and administrative procedures. All of these problems create difficulties for food exporters and impede the smooth flow of trade. Therefore, to facilitate trade there is a need for a comprehensive international database of food laws and regulations for all countries expressed in a simple and uniform format. It is proposed that existing databases, which generally contain only local and regional data, be upgraded to include international data as well.
20. Experts and their advice are required by developing countries to provide knowledge and training on management of food control programmes, including food inspection procedures, quality assurance for laboratory procedures; auditor training; advanced analytical methods and sampling; training for risk analysis experts; and transfer of technology and know-how for food manufacturers.
21. Developing countries are aware of the issues impacting on relationships they have with their trading partners. They realize that the issues of health hazards and food safety influence trade and are therefore working on mechanisms to solve existing problems in this regard. Assistance is being sought from relevant international organizations to help them develop and operate preventive mechanisms with so that they may be able to progress on their own and assist each other along the way.
Technical assistance needs of developing countries
Mechanisms to provide technical assistance
22. Under WTO Agreements, member countries have recognized the difficulties that developing countries have in complying with measures adopted by importing countries, and this recognition is reflected through provisions of the SPS and TBT Agreements. Article 9 of the SPS Agreement encourages facilitating the provision of technical assistance to other members, especially developing country members, either bilaterally or through the appropriate international organizations.
23. FAO has long been active in providing assistance to its members with their food production, nutrition and food standards preparation. It has played and is playing a very significant role in the food and agricultural development of the world.
24. Thailand is of the opinion that FAO should establish mechanisms for removing the gap between, or the differences in, the levels of the technical knowledge of developed and developing countries that result in the weaknesses of developing countries. Help is needed for these countries so that they, having the potential of their agricultural resources to supply food for the people of the world, can operate and progress in parallel with other trading partners and achieve recognition as equals in this respect.
25. FAO should coordinate provision of technical support and resources from all sources, be it technical, financial or otherwise. This would primarily be to prevent unnecessary duplication of effort and the inefficient use of resources so that duplication of effort might be reduced. Support may be in the form of technology transfer, training, the provision of experts, and through appropriate public and private agencies. As an example, the Codex Contact Point functions as the coordinator on international food standards with and for local agencies or national responsible agencies. Such a contact point should develop a national network for the efficient and continuous operation of technical assistance.
Recommended mechanisms
· A mechanism for establishing a national food safety programme, both in terms of legislation and infrastructure
26. Ongoing international incidents of disease outbreaks resulting from contaminated food amply demonstrate that the need for food safety is of utmost priority to both developed and developing countries. However, the problem of instituting adequate controls is magnified in the case of many developing countries because of their lack of both financial and technical resources.
27. It is essential, however, that if developing countries are to have any chance at all of controlling and reducing the level of foodborne illness, they require well planned and structured food safety programmes based on sound legislation that provides for adequate controls and penalties for non-compliance. To do this requires adequate funds and the trained personnel to implement and make the programme effective.
28. An important element of any food safety programme is the infrastructure required to give it effect. The programme is unlikely to succeed without trained inspectors, technically competent analysts, skilled public information officers and competent administrative staff.
29. Because many developing countries do not possess adequate food safety legislation and the technical capacity to implement an effective programme because of a lack of adequately informed and trained personnel, they must of necessity rely on assistance from international organizations and governments of developed countries to develop the necessary competence.
30. Of utmost importance to a food safety programme is the capacity for educating consumers in food safety. This education must begin at the level of the child through parents and schools and be continued at the adult level through all branches of the media - radio, television, posters, booklets and so on. To achieve maximum effect, all sections of the community must be exposed to the programme, including children and the aged, the poor and more prosperous and be pitched at all levels between the village and the city.
· A mechanism for strengthening competency in establishing an international database for pesticide residues and other contaminants
31. To put any food safety programme in place it is necessary to first identify the foodborne hazards, prioritize their importance and develop an action plan for control of those of highest priority. The development of priorities depends to an important degree on the availability of reliable data recognized internationally. Therefore, to assist both developing and developed countries it is strongly recommended that a means of developing an international database for foodborne contaminants be seriously explored, especially with respect to determining what sort of information should be included in such a database, having in mind the needs of countries in establishing their food safety programmes, and what arrangements might be put in place for ensuring the currency of the data.
· A mechanism for developing effective and efficient risk analysis techniques, including risk assessment, risk management and risk communication
32. The determination of risk is an essential part of establishing priorities to be given to the control of foodborne health hazards. It is extremely important that the priorities attributed to hazards be based on scientifically determined risk as distinct from perceptions based on purely anecdotal evidence. To do this requires skills in risk analysis which many developing countries do not possess. To enable them to become proficient in risk analysis they must be fully acquainted with the relevant techniques and have a clear appreciation and understanding of them.
33. Risk analysis has become an important part of the implementation of the Uruguay Round, SPS Agreement which, in practice requires, member countries to apply risk analysis to comply with provisions of the Agreement. Developing countries therefore must become proficient in the techniques of risk analysis if they are to participate as equals in international trade.
34. In this area, developing countries are heavily dependent on developed countries and international organizations to show them the way. Training in risk analysis techniques, including those applicable to risk assessment, risk management and risk communication by developing countries is essential to enable developing countries to keep up commercially with developed countries and to participate in world trade to the fullest extent possible.
35. The formulators of the Uruguay Round Agreements foresaw the problems the developing countries would have in keeping abreast with developed countries in matters such as the determination of risk, and therefore have exhorted developed member countries in the texts of the Agreements to extend as much assistance to developing countries as possible.
· A mechanism for enhancing national food production by effectively applying appropriate quality control systems and quality assurance systems
36. Many farmers in developing countries lack the means, knowledge and understanding of technologies necessary to manage their farms, their fields , their crops and their animals. In addition, poor post-harvest handling practices result in the diminution of product quality and wastage. In combination, these factors lead to poor quality raw material which influences the quality of processed products.
37. In the case of food processors, many of them are unfamiliar with the latest processing technologies, use outdated equipment, are unfamiliar with Good Manufacturing Practices, the principles of food hygiene and safety, and most importantly, are unfamiliar with the mandatory import requirements of the countries in which they wish to market their food. In many cases, their knowledge of internationally accepted food quality and safety systems is seriously limited, and as a result their products are often detained on international markets and sometimes destroyed. The consequences can be devastating to countries and farmers who depend on food exports for their incomes.
38. Despite assistance already given in both the areas of raw product production and processing by donor countries and international organizations, a great need for further assistance remains. Effective training in such things as GMPs, HACCP and other equivalent systems is essential if developing countries are to effectively compete on the most profitable food markets by firstly complying with the mandatory import requirements of those markets, and secondly marketing only food of a quality acceptable to consumers. Training is also required in food export/import control systems and how they operate from country to country and what principles are involved.
· A mechanism for providing assistance by way of financial input and training to ensure that development in food control is ongoing and does not regress
39. The adoption by many developing countries of food control systems, both export and import, during the last few decades has been quite remarkable. Whereas previously there had been very few systems and little consciousness of the need for food control, now a significant number of developing countries have food legislation, food control agencies and they are fully conscious of the importance of food control for product for both local and international consumption.
40. However, there is a need for further assistance to ensure that the progress made by developing countries does not regress but instead continues to progress. This requires on-going training of food control agencies of developing countries in modern and increasingly sophisticated food control systems developed and introduced by the developed countries. A mechanism is required to ensure that training given is progressive as distinct from repetitive, distributed equally amongst those requiring it, and that duplication of training by different organizations and governments is avoided by having a central liasion and communication point for coordination purposes
41. Financial input is also required from outside sources to ensure that both the quality and quantity of training is adequate and sufficient to meet requirements.
· A mechanism for facilitating the establishment of mutual recognition agreements between trading partners
42. The facilitation of international food trade is of paramount importance to all food trading countries. Many of the most successful food exporting countries facilitate their operations through the negotiation of mutual recognition agreements in which the cooperating countries agree on the level of compliance for product, the systems adopted to ensure the safety of the food , the nature of examinations and testing before export and the form of certification to be issued by the government food control agency of the exporting country.
43. It would be of great advantage to developing countries to have a mechanism whereby they could negotiate mutual recognition agreements with potential partners interested in their products. The mechanism could involve a central authority which provides information about requirements sought by importing countries, and which would make the initial approach to the importing country on behalf of the exporting country and subsequently assist with the negotiation of the Agreement.