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FTAA.sme/inf/140
October 27, 2003

Original: Spanish
Translation: FTAA Secretariat
 

FTAA – CONSULTATIVE GROUP ON SMALLER ECONOMIES

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

PROJECT PROFILE ON SANITARY SERVICES IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR



1. Project Title: Strengthening the Sanitary Services System in the Agricultural Sector of the Dominican Republic

2. Rationale:

With the advent of regional trade agreements (DR-Central America and DR-United States), the Dominican Republic is currently facing a challenge in terms of having to compete in a trade arena in which barriers are essentially technical, rather than political or diplomatic. In order to be competitive, therefore, the country must develop its technical platform in terms of installed capacity to measure up to international standards, in which quality, and not quantity or the system of preferences or quotas, prevail. The services systems that promote continued improvements to quality must be strengthened, and sanitary norms that guarantee the traceability of products must be applied. Furthermore, the bioterrorism scenarios that have been envisaged around the world reflect a trend towards a new era in which each country must have the capacity to diagnose and assess risks. As a result, sanitary systems that help to minimize physical, chemical, and biological risks to food, and that are established in the country under an institutional framework that provides for their systematic application, represent a competitive advantage insofar as access to large markets is concerned. The strengthening of sanitary services in the agricultural sector, therefore, can no longer be postponed.

3. Objectives

a) General
Contribute to the strengthening of an efficient agricultural production platform in the country, under a production scheme that safeguards agri-food quality and safety.

b) Specific
• Strengthen and harmonize quality control, inspection, and certification services for agricultural products.

• Strengthen the regulatory framework for food quality and safety.

• Strengthen technical and operational capacities in the agri-food sector through consulting services and training in quality assurance, both in the regulating and the regulated sector.

• Provide for the timely inclusion of clusters of agri-food products in the establishment of quality assurance and control systems (HACCP, BPM, ISO 9000, ISO 14000, among others).

4. Inputs: Resources required for the project.

1. Hiring of a specialist at USD 150.00 per day for 2 months to gather information and determine the baseline situation. Total: (USD 30,000).

2. Consulting initiatives using the services of experts and/or specialists to develop a “Proposal for a National Sanitary Regulation System for the Agricultural Sector” (USD 60,000). This includes awareness-raising workshops and media campaigns.

3. Facilities to train 100 personnel, using the services of experts and/or specialists. (USD 100,000).

4. Hiring of consultants to design a proposal to harmonize laboratories. This includes workshops, validation of diagnosis protocols, residue detection, and the purchase of risk analysis and diagnostic software. (USD 100,000).

Total funding required to complete the first phase of this project is USD 319,000. The Government of the Dominican Republic will contribute USD 150,000 towards the installation of offices, as well as office equipment, transportation, and other administrative expenses.

5. Expected Results

The following results are expected upon completion of this project:
1. A strengthened official system for sanitary regulation will be in place. This system will have credibility and be institutionally sound, and act as a counterpart to international organizations in this field.

2. An improved, harmonized, and independent system will be in place to safeguard the application of agri-food quality and safety standards in the country.

3. A minimum installed capacity will exist in the sector to provide diagnostic and design services, and quality control and certification systems will be established on farms and in agro-industry .

4. Human resources skills in the area of quality assurance will be improved through directed training.

5. Agri-food producers, importers, and exporters in the country will benefit, as will technicians in the agri-food sectors and consumers in general.

 
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