b'HOW TO IMPROVE SEED MOVEMENT AROUND THE WORLDPART 1 A DEEP DIVE INTO THE MULTILATERAL SYSTEMS APPROACH.BY: MARCEL BRUINSWHY IT MATTERS I n an attempt to harmonize and simplify interna-tional movement of seed, the seed sector came up Moving seedwith an alternative for the current complex way of around theworking called a Multilateral Systems Approach. To world can be alearn more about the benefits of such an approach headache. One offor the various stakeholders in the seed supply chain, the major hurdlesSeed World Europe sat down with Isabel Bezuidenhout, to overcome arephytosanitary manager at the South African Seed the many and oftenOrganization (SANSOR), Merel Langens, global diverging nationalmanager industry affairs at BASFs vegetable phytosanitaryseeds business and chair of the International Seed regulations. EachFederation (ISF) Systems Approach Expert Group, country has aand Rose Souza Richards, seed health manager at ISF.different set ofDIVERGING PHYTOSANITARY requirements.REGULATIONSThese regulatory differencesInternational standards and guidelines, established put a strain onby the International Plant Protection Convention companies in(IPPC), provide a common framework for harmo-terms of resourcesnizing phytosanitary measures and promoting con-to meet all thosesistency. The IPPC aims to facilitate safe trade while requirements, andminimizing unnecessary trade barriers. However, Isabel Bezuidenhout, phytosanitary manager at the South cause delays anddue to the complex nature of plant health and theAfrican Seed Organization (SANSOR). Photo: ISFeven rejections ofvarying pest profiles across countries, it is not always seed shipments. possible to achieve complete harmonization, says Bezuidenhout. Another factor that hampers com- treatment, testing using different techniques, etc.), plete harmonization is the fact that IPPC-agreementssays Langens.are often bilateral, between two countries. For theThe Agreement on the Application of Sanitary international seed industry, a multilateral recognizedand Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of the World framework would be most suitable.Trade Organization (WTO) and the IPPC allow An important principle in the agreement of thecountries to impose phytosanitary regulations to IPPC is that countries have sovereign authority. Thisprotect plant health but qualify that all measures means that each country can prescribe the phytosan- must be based on a pest risk assessment or recom-itary measures that are deemed necessary to protectmended international standards. The main aim of plant health within their own country. Each countrythese regulations is to protect domestic agriculture assesses the pest risk connected to import of seeds,and natural resources from potential threats posed by and decisions about import requirements are madethe introduction of pests and diseases through inter-based on this risk and on the appropriate level of pro- national trade. The seed industry has noticed a rapid tection (ALOP) as determined by the country. Thisincrease of diverging phytosanitary requirements by has led to the current situation in which there is noNational Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) harmonization of phytosanitary import requirements.over the past years with an emerging trend of specific For example, there are approx. 28 countries that haverequirements for each pest, says Bezuidenhout. implemented, more or less, different import require- Souza Richards explains that the implementa-ments to ensure absence of Tomato Brown Rugosetion of diverging phytosanitary regulations among Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) on tomato seeds. This makescountries can be attributed to several factors. it very tedious and complex for seed companies toPhytosanitary regulations are measures designed to ship a seed lot to several countries as requirements ofprotect plant health and prevent the spread of pests all countries have to be fulfilled (field inspection, seedand diseases that can harm agricultural crops, forests, 48ISEED WORLD EUROPEIEUROPEAN-SEED.COM'