GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — A new initiative aimed at strengthening agricultural trade within the Caribbean has been launched after the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) convened an inception meeting to develop regional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards for priority agricultural commodities.

The initiative is part of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-funded project “Strengthening the Framework for Intra-Regional Trade in Agriculture Products” and represents a key step toward improving the regulatory environment for agricultural trade across the region.

The project’s first component will focus on developing 10 harmonised SPS standards for selected agricultural commodities. It will also build upon regional trade guidelines previously adopted by the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED–Agriculture) and will involve extensive consultation with national authorities and stakeholders across the Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states.

The consultancy assignment is being implemented by CAB International (CABI), which will work closely with CAHFSA, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and a Regional Technical Advisory Committee comprising experts from plant health, veterinary services and food safety authorities across the Caribbean.

“The development of regional SPS standards represents an important step in strengthening the foundation for intra-regional agricultural trade. By harmonising technical requirements across countries, we can reduce uncertainty for exporters, improve market access and enhance the safety and quality of agricultural products traded within the Caribbean,” said Dr Gavin Peters, CAHFSA chief executive officer, as he highlighted the importance of harmonised standards for facilitating safe agricultural trade within the region.

Currently, differences in national SPS measures can create challenges for exporters and traders seeking to move agricultural products between Caribbean countries. The development of common standards is expected to provide clearer guidance for producers, regulators and traders, while supporting the safe movement of agricultural commodities across borders.

The initiative also supports the Caricom Food Security Agenda and the 25 by 2025 + 5 initiative, which seeks to reduce the region’s food import bill by increasing regional food production and trade.

According to Malcolm Wallace, the operations officer at the CDB, the project reflects CDB’s continued commitment to strengthening the Caribbean’s agri-food systems.

“Strengthening regional SPS frameworks is critical to unlocking the full potential of intra-regional trade in agricultural products. This initiative will help create a more predictable and transparent regulatory environment, enabling Caribbean producers and traders to compete more effectively while safeguarding plant, animal and human health.”

The consultancy will involve consultations with national SPS authorities, technical experts and private sector stakeholders throughout the region. Draft standards will be reviewed and validated through regional consultations before being submitted for consideration by COTED-Agriculture.

“Developing practical and science-based SPS standards requires strong collaboration with national authorities and regional partners. Our team looks forward to working closely with member states to ensure that the resulting standards are technically sound, implementable and supportive of regional trade,” said Dr Benoit Gnonlonfin, the technical lead for the CABI consultancy team.

The project also includes collaboration with the CRFM, reflecting the importance of fisheries products within the regional agri-food system.

In addition to developing regional standards, the broader project will support capacity-building for national SPS systems and the development of knowledge and communication products to strengthen human capital across the regional agri-food value chain.

The initiative is expected to contribute to a more integrated and resilient Caribbean agricultural sector by improving regulatory clarity, facilitating trade and enhancing the region’s collective capacity to manage agricultural health and food safety risks.