Indicators to measure SPS performance

Endorsement of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005) committed donors and partner countries to create results-based management frameworks to ensure that their activities achieve the desired objectives and targets. Such frameworks are based on the articulation of a chain of results (logic model) and inclusion of indicators for tracking results at each step in the chain.

The STDF work on indicators focuses on the identification and application of indicators to measure the performance of national SPS systems. It has three main objectives:

- to sensitize the SPS community about the importance of managing for results and, more specifically, about the value and role of indicators;
- to identify, pilot test and refine a representative set of indicators to measure the performance of a national SPS system; and
- to develop guidance materials to promote the use of indicators within results-based management frameworks for national SPS systems

STDF/OECD Technical working meeting on SPS indicators- 2010

The STDF and OECD technical working meeting on SPS indicators was attended by some 75 participants, including 16 experts from developing countries and regional economic communities in Africa whose participation was funded by the STDF. The focus of the meeting was the draft STDF/OECD working paper on SPS indicators and, in particular, the outcome indicators in the draft logframe.

A list of participants for the meeting can be found here. Presentations were made by the following:

Participants agreed on the value of a results-based management approach to identify indicators to measure the performance of a national SPS system, and the use of the logical framework approach in that context. There was also consensus that one size does not fit all and that indicators would need to be adapted by countries depending on their particular circumstances. The importance of ensuring synergies with FAO, OIE, IICA and other organizations that are applying capacity evaluation tools was underlined.

Draft working paper on SPS indicators

This draft working paper, prepared by the STDF Secretariat in collaboration with the OECD, provides a framework to identify indicators to measure the performance of a national SPS system, based on the logframe's intervention logic. This draft paper – and the provisional set of indicators proposed – is a "work-in-progress". This is the third revision of this paper and reflects discussions at the STDF / OECD Technical Working Meeting on SPS Indicators (Geneva, 1 July 2010) as well as other comments received.