MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT CAMEROON Department

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT, CAMEROON Department of Regulation and Quality Control of Agricultural Products and Inputs A presentation by Mrs NDIKONTAR née SIBEN Alice NTOBOH Information Exchange International Phytosanitary Portal (IPP) Training Workshop for French-speaking African Countries Douala, 16 - 20 January 2006

INTRODUCTION Agricultural resources have to be safeguarded by the prevention and management of exotic pests/diseases through the implementation of the IPPC. This can be done through : § the elaboration and application of phytosanitary legislation and regulations; § the organisation and monitoring of phytosanitary controls and inspections at the frontiers, international airports and sea ports, and § phytosanitary intervention

National structure for the exchange of information • Decree n° 2005/118 of 15 th April 2005 organising the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, phytosanitary activities feature in two departments as indicated by the organisational chart (annex )

Ministre de l’Agriculture et du Développement Rural Services centraux Secrétaire d’Etat Secrétariat Général Direction du Développement de l’Agriculture Sous Direction des Interventions Phytosanitaires Service de la Surveillance et des Interventions Phytosanitaires Service de la Promotion des systèmes de Protection Intégrée Service de l’Encadrement et de la Formation Phytosanitaire Direction de la Réglementation et du Contrôle de Qualité des Intrants et des Produits Agricoles Sous Direction de la Réglementation des Pesticides, Engrais et appareils de Traitement phytosanitaire Sous Direction de la Réglementation des semences et de la Quarantaine Service de la Réglementation des Appareils de Traitement Phyto-sanitaire Service de la Réglementation des Engrais Laboratoire National du Diagnostic et d’Analyse des Produits et des Intrants Agricole Service de la Certification des Semences et Plants Service du Contrôle des Semences et Plants Station de Quarantaine Végétale Bases Phytosanitaires (10) Département Service de contrôle de qualité des Intrants et Produits Agricoles (10) Brigades Phytosanitaires (58) ORGANISATION DE LA PROTECTION DES VEGETAUX AU CAMEROUN Services des Produits Phytosanitaires, des Engrais et des Fertilisants Services des Produits Phytosanitaires Service de la Réglementation des Pesticide Province Service des Produits Agricoles, des Semences et Plants Postes de police phytosanitaires (28)

National structure for the exchange of information (con’t) • Department of Regulation and Quality Control of Agricultural Products and Inputs has services responsible for phytosanitary controls and certification of seeds, pesticides and fertilisers, and quarantine activities. • At the provincial level, its activities are coordinated by the Quality Control services and the phytosanitary inspection posts.

National structure for the exchange of information (con’t) The exchange of information follows the administrative hierarchy: • From the Phytosanitary Inspection posts, Phytosanitary Brigades at the divisional level (farmers, partners), • to the head of Phytosanitary Bases and quality control in the province. • to the respective Departments in the central administration, • to the Ministry and later to the FAO through the Resident representation office in Cameroon. • Sometimes to the FAO office through the Ministry of Foreign Affaires. • To get to the level of farmers or partners, the reverse of the above pathway is followed.

Systems in place for information exchange The flow of information between the phytosanitary services and its partners is through • the postal mail, • radio, • telephone, • television, • the print media and • the internet. The internet is not available where most of the phytosanitary inspection posts are situated.

Availability of current data obligatory under the IPPC NPPO responsibilities and functions Laws and decrees have been enacted to better implement the IPPC in Cameroon: Ø Law n° 2003/003 of April 2003 on phytosanitary Protection; Ø Decree n° 2005/0771/PM of 06 April 2005 on modalities for plant quarantine operations; Ø Decree n° 2005/0770/PM of 06 April 2005 on modalities for phytosanitary control operations; Ø Decree n° 2005/0772/PM of 06 April 2005 on the control and registration of phytosanitary products; and Ø Decree n° 2005/0769/PM of 06 April 2005 Creation of a Phytosanitary Council;

NPPO responsibilities and functions (con’t) • Definition, elaboration and follow-up of pest control policies; • Action taken to prevent the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products; • Elaboration and monitoring of phytosanitary legislations and regulations; • Setting up of procedures for pesticide registration and post registration control to make sure they are safe to humans, animals and the environment;

NPPO responsibilities and functions (con’t) • Monitoring of phytosanitary controls and inspections at the frontiers, international airports and sea ports; • Issue of Phytosanitary certificates and importation permits; • Dissemination of appropriate crop protection techniques; • Definition of pest control strategies; • Report of occurrence, spread and outbreak of pests and diseases; • Promotion of Integrated Pest Management;

Availability of current data obligatory under the IPPC(Con’t) Official contact point With the recent organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture, a new official contact point is still to be nominated to replace Mr MPE Jean Michel who is no longer at the head of the NPPO in Cameroon. • Points of entry: (annex 2) There are 28 inspection points: Nwa, Benakouma, Limbe, Ekondo Titi, Ekok, Douala sea port and airport, Parcel post Douala, Parcel post Yaoundé, Yaounde-Nsimalen, Garoua airport, Kribi , Abang Minko, Kyo-ossi, Aboulou, Kenzou, Moloundou, Gari. Gombo, Garoua-Boulai, Atta-Bankim, Ngaoui, Tiket. Banyo, Kontcha, Figuil, Dourbaye, Kouseri and Mora.

Availability of current data obligatory under the IPPC (Con’t) Non compliance • notifications of interceptions from the European Community especially France with respect to phytosanitary certificates have been received. • 130 interceptions of fruits and vegetables especially mangoes for 3 years (2000 -2003) Ø 37% presence of tephrididae on mangoes, Ø 20% absence of phytosanitary certificates and Ø 25% poorly filled certificates.

Availability of current data obligatory under the IPPC (Con’t) • Pest reporting pest outbreak or interception, necessary control action is taken • Pest status • A list of crop pests of economic importance and their distribution has been prepared but it is not yet official (draft available). • Phytosanitary requirements, restrictions and prohibitions, with reference to plant and plant products (under preparation)

The country’s internal and external phytosanitary bases • Internal: An inventory has been done and pest lists are available but Pest Risk Analysis has to be done before the information is classified for official consultation. • External: Pest lists are available for consultation on the international data bases ( the CABI Crop Protection Compendium (CPC Global Module) etc).

Internet infrastructure in country • There is good internet access in Cameroon but at the level of the department in charge of crop protection services, the internet access is not reliable because it is not stable. • Pros and cons of using IPP in the country Vital phytosanitary information is readily available for necessary and timely reaction. • Experience with using IPP General consultation for information for the purposes of PRA and knowledge of the phytosanitary situation in other countries (quarantine pests, pest statues, prohibitions and restrictions, etc. )

Data collection for phytosanitary information • Data is supposed to be centralised at the Department of Regulation and Quality Control of Agricultural Products and Inputs, • but a lot of the information is found in research institutions (Institute for Research and Agricultural Development (IRAD); the Universities , etc. ) and needs to be put together.

Capacity building needs • • • Training in data collection and management, Training in network and website management, Improving pest diagnostics capabilities, Training on Pest Risk Analysis Improving pest surveillance systems Up-grading quarantine facilities to meet up with international obligations • Acquiring programmes (software) for creating data bases • Improving communication systems at inspection points, phytosanitary bases (radio, computers, telephone, internet access etc) • Assistance in the determination of pest status in the country hence establishing the various lists of pests.