STDF latest events

Join the STDF at COP 28 for a discussion on how investing in SPS capacity can support more sustainable agri-food systems and markets that protect biodiversity and the environment, and are more resilient to climate change. Learn why collaboration is crucial and uncover innovations and lessons from STDF's safe trade partnership. Read the programme here.

UNCTAD eWeek "Shaping the future of the digital economy”

UNCTAD, the STDF and the Permanent Mission of Italy in Geneva are partnering to host a panel on gender and trade during the UNCTAD eWeek.

Register for the event here.

For more information, visit the event webpage. 

UNCTAD eWeek "Shaping the future of the digital economy”

The International Seed Federation (ISF), the OECD and the STDF are jointly organizing a session during the UNCTAD eWeek.

Register for the event here.

For more information, visit the event webpage. 

Join the Food Trade Coalition for Africa, AGRA, STDF and other partners for a dialogue on good practices needed to boost intra-regional trade and facilitate access to safe food on the continent. The event will draw on work by AGRA, STDF and others, including a recent Policy Brief.

Time: October 17th, 14.00-15.30 (CET) / 15.00-16.30 (EAT)

Register here

Accelerating eCERT Adoption

 14 September @12.30-13.30 (CET)
Meeting type: in-person
Where: WTO Library

For more information, visit the event webpage. 

Using Good Regulatory Practice to Facilitate Safe Trade in Africa

For more information visit the event webpage.

The STDF is partnering with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to hold a regional event on SPS eCertification. This event will bring together experts from IICA's 34 Member States and provide a platform to exchange lessons learned on electronic SPS certificates and discuss the possibility of pilot testing a regional approach for the exchange of electronic veterinary certificates. This in-person event will be held from 25-27 July 2023 in Costa Rica (IICA Headquarters). 

For more information visit the event webpage.

Facilitating safe trade: Why does gender matter for SPS compliance?

For more information on each session, including speakers, visit the webinar webpage.

Watch the webinar recording here.

How does SSAFE support the safe supply and trade of food around the world through public-private partnerships?

PPP webinar hosted by the STDF PPP Practitioner Group in partnership with SSAFE.

Tuesday 13 June 2023 @ 14.00-15.00 (CET)

Speaker: Quincy Lissaur, SSAFE Executive Director

SSAFE is a global non-profit membership organization aimed at strengthening the safe supply and trade of food around the world through PPPs. Learn more: www.ssafe-food.org

"Facilitating safe trade: STDF solutions to strengthen SPS capacity in developing and least developed countries"

Tuesday 21 March 2023 @ 15.00 (CET) 

For more information, including speakers, visit the webinar webpage.

Watch the recording of the webinar here.

WED 8 December 2021 @14:00-15:15 CET

Watch the recording of the session HERE

Presentation slides - IFC e-Learning Course on New Zealand Food Safety System
Presentation slides - Ukraine feedback on e-Learning course

This joint STDF and World Bank Group webinar highlighted the need for food safety reform, the changing role of the public and private sector, and introduced a new IFC learning course (New Zealand food safety system case study).

*Event webpage

STDF's Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) Facilitators' project, led by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat, aimed to help National Plant Protection Organization (NPPOs) improve their work through more robust needs' assessment and action planning, based on the IPPC's PCE Tool. The project set out to create a pool of trained PCE facilitators to roll out the PCE Tool in developing countries. In the process, it trained forty PCE experts, developed guides for PCE training and national phytosanitary capacity development strategy, and resulted in the completion of PCEs in Madagascar, Barbados, Kenya, and Guinea.

An independent external project evaluation, published in 2021, took a critical look at the project's relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability, based on OECD's evaluation criteria, and assessed its contribution to STDF's programme goal of improved and sustainable SPS capacity.

Join our online outreach event on Tuesday 30 November @ 13:00-14:15  (CET) to learn and discuss the findings and recommendations of the PCE project evaluation.

For more information, visit the webinar webpage.

Watch the recording of the session HERE

How can good regulatory practices help ensure that SPS measures are fit for purpose? What challenges are developing countries facing when using good regulatory practices? How can the STDF Guide help SPS regulators develop or review SPS measures?

At a zoom event on 3 November 2021, the STDF will be launching its guide on Good Regulatory Practices to improve SPS measures. Find out more here. 

Join the online discussion on Wednesday 3 November @ 13:30-14:45 (CET)

Watch the recording of the session HERE

This webinar, jointly organized by UNESCAP, ADB, ICC and the STDF, provided an overview of the "state of play" on SPS eCert in the relevant international standard-setting bodies and presented case studies from countries across the Asia-Pacific region. Participants shared lessons and experiences from using the “ePhyto Solution” to facilitate the exchange of electronic phytosanitary certificates and explored challenges and highlight developments in scaling up electronic veterinary and food safety certification. For more information visit the webinar webpage.

The online discussion took place on Wednesday 8 September @ 10:00-11:30 (CEST).

REGISTER HERE

When the investments needed to facilitate safe trade in the COMESA region are huge but resources are limited, why and how can evidence-based approaches add value?  

How can the STDF's P-IMA framework help to prioritize investments to boost regional trade linked to policy goals?

TUE 24 AUG 2021 @15:30-17:00 (NAIROBI, EAT)

SEE EVENT WEBPAGE AND THE RECORDING HERE

UN Food Systems Summit Pre-Summit

Joint Codex, IPPC, OIE and STDF Virtual side-session: 

"PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS"

TUESDAY 27 JULY, 19:30 - 20:20 CEST (Rome Time)

SEE EVENT WEBPAGE AND THE RECORDING HERE

As part of the Pre-Summit of the UN Food Systems Summit, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) together with the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) are organizing a affiliated session on: "Promoting sustainable food systems: the role of international standards".

Panelists:

• Mr. Steve Wearne, Vice Chair of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
• Ms. Juliet Goldsmith, Plant Health Specialist, Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Agency (CAHFSA)
• Dr. Alemayehu Mekonnen Anbessie, Advisor for office of the State Minister for Livestock sector Development at the Ministry of Agriculture of Ethiopia. Former delegate from Ethiopia to the OIE.

WED 14 JULY 2021 @13:30-14:45 CET

Watch the recording of the session HERE

Presentation slides - Introduction to Systems Approaches
Presentation slides - Rethinking aflatoxin management in East Africa

Join this STDF and World Bank Group webinar to learn more about the concept of Systems Approaches and to hear about specific case stories that describe the challenges and opportunities of implementing a system.

Panelists

• Meghan NOSEWORTHY, Natural Resources Canada
• Theo PONGOLO, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, South Africa
• Phyllis GITHAIGA, Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service
• John KEYSER, World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice
• Shane SELA, World Bank's Macroeconomics, Trade and Investment Global Practice

*Event webpage

Who is involved in facilitating safe trade, and how can we strengthen trust and synergies across stakeholders and sectors to support agri-food systems transformation?

What are the trade-offs in facilitating safe trade, why are they relevant, and how can they be better navigated to support agri-food systems transformation?

How can STDF's global partnership influence and catalyse change that supports agri-food systems to deliver for the world of tomorrow?

Agenda - STDF Independent Dialogue for the UN Food Systems Summit

Presentation Slides -  Food System Transformation: Why Does Safe Trade Matter?

Transforming agri-food systems to deliver food security is urgent for the future. Around the world, diverse stakeholders recognize the need for change to catalyse sustainable economic development, benefit women, youth and other vulnerable groups, and promote the health of the planet. Facilitating safe trade must play a crucial role in this change.

The STDF’s global partnership of public and private sector actors from across agriculture, health, trade and development is working to facilitate safe trade that supports sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries and contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals.

The STDF Independent Dialogue for the United Nations Food Systems Summit will engage members of STDF's global partnership to:

• share experiences and learning about innovative and collaborative safe trade solutions in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean, and explore how they are contributing to food systems transformation;
• reflect on how ongoing trends – from the growth in regional and South-South trade to digitalization and inclusive and sustainable trade – are influencing SPS capacity development, and what this means for food systems transformation; and 
• identify new opportunities for STDF's global partnership to influence and catalyse sustainable improvements in SPS systems that support agri-food systems to deliver for the world of tomorrow.

JOIN THE INDEPENDENT DIALOGUE ON MONDAY 28 JUNE 2021 @15:00 -17:00 (CET) 

REGISTER HERE

*UN FSS event webpage

WED 24 MARCH 2021 @12:30-14:00 CET

Watch the recording of the session HERE

COVID-19 has provided a clear reminder of the ease and speed at which pests and diseases can spread worldwide, and of the inter-connectedness of global supply chains. Protecting food safety and animal and plant health across borders as a global public good is now more important than ever. With food security and livelihoods already under pressure, developing countries have been hit hardest by the pandemic, threatening to undo progress achieved in economic growth and poverty reduction. Building their resilience will require long-term investments in sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity. Action is needed to establish new partnerships between governments and private sector to meet international standards and go digital with new technology to cut down on unnecessary trade costs.

Join this STDF event with agriculture, health, trade and development experts to discuss how we should invest in safe trade systems and scale up assistance for developing countries to support economic recovery.

Discussants

• Loraine Ronchi, World Bank Group
• Washington Otieno, CABI
• Unesu Ushewokunze-Obatolu, Department of Veterinary Services of Zimbabwe 
• Emily Tagliaro, World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

Moderator

• Melvin Spreij, Head, Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)

*Event webpage

How is TMEA applying the STDF P-IMA framework to unlock regional agri-food trade in the EAC region, and how is this relevant for other regional economic bodies, including the African Continental Free Trade Area?

How can evidence-based approaches add value when the investments needed to facilitate safe trade in East Africa are huge, but resources are limited?

JOIN THE ONLINE DISCUSSION: MON 22 Feb 2021 @15:30-17:00 (NAIROBI, EAT)

REGISTER HERE

What does pandemic-driven change mean for the STDF's partnership and approach?

How can the STDF partnership harness innovation to deliver for the world of tomorrow?

The STDF's global partnership of public and private sector actors from across agriculture, health, trade and development are continuing to work to facilitate safe trade, and support sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries worldwide.

In January 2020, the STDF launched its 2020-2024 Strategy in support of the UN's 2030 Agenda. Since then, our world changed completely. More than ever we need to join forces and innovate.  

What do these changes mean for the STDF's approach on the ground? How is the STDF's operating model relevant for today’s world and that of tomorrow? What have we learned in 2020? And how can we build on this together to drive food safety, animal and plant health in developing countries?

A virtual discussion took place on 08 February 2021 with STDF partners, donors, project partners (government/private sector) and developing country experts to hear what the pandemic-driven changes of 2020 mean for the STDF's partnership moving forward. Participants shared their views on how we can learn and adapt to the challenges to strengthen STDF's model, delivering safe trade solutions that benefit people in developing countries.

Featuring the premier of STDF’s new film “Shaping a safer world”

Discussants

• Markus Lipp, FAO
• Shane Sela, WBG
• Kelly McCormick, US FDA
• Suzanne Neave, CABI
• Jeremy Knops, COLEACP
• Martha Byanyima, Land O'Lakes East Africa (former STDF developing country expert)

Moderator

• Marlynne Hopper, STDF

Pesticides often cause trade concerns for tropical fruits and vegetables from developing countries. Few Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) exist for these crops, and they can differ from Codex standards or also for different trading partners. Three STDF projects (STDF/PG/359, STDF/PG/337, and STDF/PG/436) helped producers and traders in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to meet pesticide requirements for tropical crops, including mangos and bananas.

An STDF information session held on 07 November 2019, at the margins of the WTO SPS Committee, shared the findings and recommendations of an independent evaluation of these projects, as well as discussed their catalytic impact in driving regional and global collaboration.

Trade in food and agricultural products offers a way for farmers, processors and traders in developing countries to increase their incomes and boost economic development. But limited capacity to meet food safety, animal and plant health requirements – SPS measures – for export can be a major challenge.

An STDF session held on 4 July 2019 looked at the impact of building SPS capacity on inclusive growth, highlighting experiences from the public and private sectors in Guatemala, Sri Lanka and Uganda.

A thematic session took place on 26 March 2014, on the margins of WTO SPS Committee. The session led to knowledge exchange on trade facilitation and the implementation of SPS measures and shared the preliminary findings of three regional studies.

The P-IMA framework was presented to key SPS experts from the Asia and the Pacific during an STDF workshop on 12-13 November 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. The workshop shared practical experiences from Belize and Vietnam where the framework have been used and provided the necessary knowledge and skills to apply this framework. 

The STDF in collaboration with the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) organised a seminar on 12-13 July 2012 to discuss how to manage and control the spread of IAS, an important threat for biodiversity, agricultural production and wildlife.

The STDF, in collaboration with the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the World Bank Institute, organized an international workshop to discuss the untapped potential and role of PPPs in agricultural development and market access in The Hague, The Netherlands on 4-6 October 2010.

Following the emergence of result based management frameworks, STDF organised jointly with OECD a technical working meeting on 1 July 2010 to explore indicators measuring the performance of national SPS systems.

STDF's information session on 26 June 2008 shared the latest updates on private standards and discussed options to assist developing countries preparing to comply with these new schemes.

Read more here. 

STDF's workshop on 31 March 2008 examined the benefits of SPS capacity evaluation tools and discussed the scope for collaboration and cooperation in the future development and use of these tools. 

Read more here.