Promoting the phytosanitary service, which is underutilized and overlooked

The provision of high-quality phytosanitary services will bolster efforts to make the seed sector more business-friendly. However, the governance of Ethiopia’s seed sector is marked by a lack of stakeholder integration, regulation, coordination, and investment incentives.

Understanding the statuesque, the ENSP project aimed to improve the stakeholder integration, human resources, cost recovery, and quality of phytosanitary services provided. As part this effort the project facilitated a one-day consultative workshop on phytosanitary

The purpose of the meeting was to create a platform for institutions and individuals involved in phytosanitary service provision to discuss pressing issues, share information, and prioritize key intervention areas for fiscal year 2022. Following the welcoming remark and introduction of participants, Dr. Moahmmed Hassena, ENSP project manager, provided an overview of the ENSP project. The participants then raised clarifying questions, which were sufficiently addressed.

Participants discussed in groups in the three major working areas of phytosanitary, Pest Risk Analysis (PRA), Inspection and Certification, and Policy and legislation. The discussion focused on the current status of phytosanitary service provider institutions and the phytosanitary services being provided, identified gaps and associated challenges. Then, groups proposed list of activities to enhance phytosanitary service provision which was commented by the whole participants. 

The outputs of their discussions, as well as the major activities proposed, were presented by the groups. All of the groups emphasized the insufficient attention given by the government for phytosanitary services. Experts currently working in phytosanitary services have limited experience and expertise to perform their task. They further stated that, while some laboratory facilities have been purchased by various projects for phytosanitary services, the majority of these facilities are not operational. As a result, the plan concentrated on overcoming these challenges in order to improve phytosanitary services.

The program brought together 18 people from the Ministry of Agriculture, a consulting firm, and the ENSP project.