Fruit flies seriously threaten agricultural production and productivity, reduce quality, disrupt trade and trigger huge financial losses, affecting livelihoods and food security. The STDF, the World Bank and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) initiated a coordinated multi-stakeholder approach to control fruit fly in West Africa in 2008.
Discussion and validation of a scoping study on fruit fly – 2008
In July 2008, under the aegis of the ECOWAS Commissioner for Agriculture and Mali's Minister of the Environment, 15 ECOWAS member states met in Bamako to discuss and validate a scoping study on fruit fly financed by the European Commission. The EC-funded scoping study (available in English and French) proposed a concerted regional action plan for the management of fruit fly in West Africa accompanied by an appropriate phytosanitary response to control the pest.
Informal meeting in preparation of the stakeholder meeting – 2008
In October 2008, the STDF organized an informal meeting with West African delegates present at the SPS Committee as well as representatives from ECOWAS, WAEMU/UEMOA, FAO, UNCTAD and World Bank to discuss actions to be undertaken in preparation of the stakeholder meeting. Issues such as the importance of a creation of national committees to oversee fruit fly control activities, expanding the Action Plan to other countries in the region and forthcoming technical assistance activities were discussed.
The World Bank and the STDF jointly commissioned COLEACP to conduct a follow-up exercise to complete the EC study with a proposed budget and institutional set-up, in order to outline a comprehensive project document for the control of fruit fly in West Africa. The work by COLEACP and its team of consultants was conducted in June and July 2009 in close collaboration with ECOWAS.
See the Background note.
On 29-30 September 2009, the STDF and the ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the Government of Mali co-organized a two-day workshop to sensitize stakeholders on a complementary study for the Regional Action Plan to control fruit fly in West Africa. The event gathered close to 100 participants from governments, private sector, research institutions, specialized agencies and development partners who emphasized the need for a coordinated response to control fruit fly in West Africa in line with the Paris Principles on Aid Effectiveness. The workshop adopted the "Bamako Declaration" (English, French) which outlines a common framework to implement the five-year Regional Action Plan which is costed at €25 million. The plan has the potential to become a generic operating framework that could be replicated in other African regions.
Briefing on Fruit Fly Control in West Africa
See the STDF Briefing summarizing the main discussions and conclusions emerging from the workshop.