Press Release

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marie K. Thompson; mkthompson@ifdc.org
DATE: June 13, 2005

Toward a Regulatory Framework for the Registration of Crop Protection Products in West Africa

Abomey Calavi, Benin, June 13, 2005—Under the aegis of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) and UEMOA (West Africa Economic and Monetary Union), a regional consultative workshop was held during April 5-6, 2005, at the Abomey Calavi, Benin station of IITA (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture). The goal of the workshop was to develop a roadmap for harmonizing the regulatory framework for crop protection products (CPPs) in West Africa. The workshop was held in conjunction with the annual meeting of CropLife Africa and the Middle East.

The organization and financing of the workshop were jointly facilitated by IFDC—An International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development—through its MIR (Marketing Inputs Regionally) project and by CropLife Africa and the Middle East. IFDC and CropLife also collaborated with the Pesticide Sahelian Committee (CSP).

The discussions regarding harmonization attracted 34 participants representing the public and private sectors and regional and international organizations. The public sector participants included representatives of the ministries in charge of crop protection from 10 of the 15 ECOWAS member States, including Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Republic of Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.

At this regional workshop, several papers focusing on the experiences of the CSP, the CPH/AOC (Pharmaceutical Committee of West and Central African Wetlands countries), the CPAC (Phytosanitary Committee of Central Africa) and the crop protection industry were presented. This session aimed to identify relevant lessons that can be learned from these experiences for use in the harmonization process—the focus of the workshop. The presentations helped the group of participants to recognize unanimously that the regional harmonization of the regulatory frameworks for CPPs among the ECOWAS countries is needed.

In addition, the group agreed that the scope of the harmonization should be on the registration of pesticide products, defined as a process by which the competent authorities approve the sale and use of a pesticide after examination of the complete scientific data showing that the product is effective for the uses envisaged and does not present excessive risks for human and animal health or the environment.

To achieve the goal of setting up the registration scheme of CPPs in the ECOWAS region, the group adopted a roadmap of 9 points for the harmonization of the regulatory framework for the registration of CPPs in West Africa: (1) obtaining ECOWAS’ firm commitment to the process; (2) proposing terms of reference (TORs) for the base study; (3) finalizing the TORs of the base study; (4) selecting a consultant for the base study; (5) conducting the base study; (6) organizing a restricted meeting to review and finalize the consultant report; (7) organizing a regional workshop for validating the consultant report by national experts; (8) organizing a meeting of the sectoral ministers for a review and adoption of the experts’ recommendations; (9) submitting the recommendations of the sectoral ministers’ meeting to the ministers’ statutory meeting for adoption.

According to Mr. Yves Demeure, West and Central Africa Hub Chair, CropLife, “The regional approach for the registration can bring sustainable solutions for the regional management of products, give credit, and secure agricultural exports of the sub-region for international markets.” According to Mr. Grégoire Houngnibo, IFDC Benin Representative, “The regional registration must support the development of a more significant, dynamic, and competitive market likely to facilitate the improvement of the productivity of Western African agriculture. It must also favor the conformity of agricultural exports of the sub-region to international standards to ensure competitiveness on international markets while making it possible to meet the requirements regarding residues of pesticides and traceability. The installation of national frameworks of this regulation and its regional harmonization must also guarantee the safety of food offered to consumers on our national markets. It must finally contribute to the professional training of distributors and the securing of their investment; this training contributes to the proper use of pesticides and increased competition within our markets.”

It is expected that by late December 2005, the roadmap will be fully implemented, leading to a regional regulatory framework for the registration of CPPs in West Africa.

-----------------------------
The IFDC-coordinated MIR project is supporting the creation of conditions favorable to the development of an efficient, transparent, and competitive market to improve the availability and affordability of agricultural inputs in West Africa. Thus, for about 2 years, MIR has been supporting the efforts of UEMOA and those of ECOWAS and aims to create a regional agricultural inputs market within the framework of a common agricultural policy. Special attention is given to the strengthening of the private sector and the facilitation of dialogue among stakeholders of the market. The MIR project therefore contributes to create conditions that allow stakeholders of agriculture to make sustainable strategic choices that meet the needs of the present and coming generations.

Return to What's New?