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African Union member states have urged the adoption and promotion of electronic phytosanitary certificates (e-Phyto). The e-Phyto system aims to improve the management of plant health risks by replacing paper certificates, enabling farmers to plan crop selection and facilitating the movement of agricultural products in the global market.

African Union member states have been urged to adopt and promote Electronic phytosanitary certificates (e-Phyto).

The e-Phyto system is aimed at improving the management of plant health risks by reducing challenges associated with paper certificates. 

This enables farmers plan their selection of crops and also support the movement of agricultural products across the global market. 

The call was made by Paul Mwambu, the Commissioner Crop Inspection and Certification in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF). 

Mwambu made the presentation during a three-day workshop in Entebbe. The workshop was organised by Inter-African Phytosanitary Council in partnership with United states Department of Agriculture and Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International at Protea Hotel. 

The workshop was attended by delegates from Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia Mozambique, Kenya, Namibia, sierra Leone, Togo Zambia, Zimbabwe and Tanzania

At the workshop, Mwambu said e-Phyto certificate gives guarantee to the farmers and the countries involved in local and international agricultural business that all agricultural products are free from pests and diseases that affects the agricultural safety and the industry at large.  

E-phyto certificate is a document issued by the exporting country to the importing country as a guarantee that the plants, plant products, or the other regulated objects described therein meet the conditions set out by importing country

“We developed this technological process in 2021 in Ugandans and has been a success. Most of the other African countries have come to benchmark on us as Ugandans having implemented successfully and also for them to draw lessons from us so that those who have not yet started can do that” Mwambu said.

He added the e-Phyto certificate has more security features that help in eradicating forgeries with in the agricultural industry compared to manual certificates.

Dr Caroline Mary Nankyinga, Assistant Commissioner Phytosanitary and Quarantine, MAAIF said the workshop will build more capacity in facilitating trade with in Africa Union Member States in implementing the strategy to promote agricultural business in African continent.

Out of 54 AU Member states, 10 countries are implementing e-Phyto Programme and nine (9) member states have registered to implement the strategy in Africa.

Dr Marylucky Oronje, Scientist at the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI) Kenya said in Africa there’s a need to sensitize countries to develop an adoption strategy on e-phyto system to promote global trade

“We have undertaken a study and we found out that many AU member states have not yet adopted the e-phyto system as recommended by International Plant Protection Convention(IPPC)” Oronje said