STOSAR Policy Brief: Promoting Sustainable access to markets for the Southern African Development Community
Global growth in the trade of agricultural products, with associated increased risk in the introduction and spread of pests, poses challenges for Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States wanting to gain access to new markets and maintain trade. Gaining market access by any country requires a balance between the importance of trade flows and need to protect plant resources from pests. This policy brief provides a phytosanitary perspective to market access, touching on the critical role of National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) in preventing the introduction and spread of pests while facilitating trade through market access. It presents recommendations to improve compliance of SADC member states to various sanitary and phytosanitary requirements; to increase awareness of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an incentive for promoting trade; and resource mobilization for the effective implementation of the Plant Health Strategy for Africa (PHSA) as a tool for promoting market access.