Canada Adds CHF 250,000 to STDF to Boost Food and Plant Health Standards in Developing Countries
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Institutions: Ministry of Commerce and Industry; Department of Agriculture & Farmersβ Welfare
Canada has contributed an additional CHF 250,000 to the WTO-hosted Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF), reaffirming its long-term support for global trade in agricultural products. Since 2005, Canada has contributed over CHF 7.6 million to STDF programs, and more than CHF 15 million to WTO trust funds overall. The STDF - a multi-stakeholder initiative led by WTO and partners including FAO, WHO, World Bank, and WOAH - focuses on improving food safety, animal and plant health, and facilitating inclusive trade by enabling developing economies and least-developed countries to meet international sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards.
Canadian officials, including those from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), have actively supported capacity-building within STDF projects. This includes hosting regulatory learning visits for officials from Honduras, Belize, Rwanda, and Uganda, and facilitating webinars with over 100 participants - many from African countries - to disseminate Canadaβs risk-based food safety model. These efforts aim to bolster SPS compliance, enhance export capabilities, and contribute to improved food security, economic growth, and resilience through safer agricultural trade.
Relevant question for policy stakeholders: How can India leverage the STDFβs SPS-focused training models to strengthen its own agricultural exportersβ compliance with international food safety standards, thereby expanding market access and supporting smallholder producers?
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