SPS CAPACITY BUILDING IN AFRICA TO MITIGATE THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES RESIDUES IN COCOA AND TO MAINTAIN MARKET ACCESS.Overview of the implementation of SPS standards and constraints in Ghana Regional Workshop, Yaounde, Cameroon, 7 – 11 June 2011 Kwasi Gorkeh-Sekyim, Managing Director Quality Control Company Ltd, COCOBOD National Co-ordinator, GHANA Page 1 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Introduction Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world. Production is estimated at more than 900,000 tonnes for 2010/2011. Projections are about 1,000,000 tonnes for 2011/2012. Ghanas cocoa quality is the best in the world but needs improvement, hence our participation in this current project. 2 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Pre-launching of Project The project was pre-launched in Accra, Ghana from st January The meeting was attended by the Regional Co-ordinator as well as the National Co-ordinators of all the participating countries and also representatives of EDES/COLEACP, CropLife Africa, UNIDO and ICCO. 3 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Pre-Launch Meeting A number of recommendations which were to be implemented by each participating country were made. One of these recommendations was that – Each participating country should constitute a National Project Steering Committee (NPSC) – Open a project account and make payment of 60% of counterpart contribution into the account – Identify and liaise with all the institutions within the country that will participate in the project Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Project activities so far National Project Steering Committee is constituted as follows: –Chairman-Dr Yaw Adu-Ampomah, Deputy CE (A&QC) –Nat. Co-ordinator- Mr Gorkeh-Sekyim, M.D. QCCL –Member, Dr. A. R. Cudjoe, Head, Entomology Division, CRIG –Member, Dr. W. A. Jonfia-Essien, Manager, Reseach Dep. QCCL –Member, Mr. K. Obeng-Adjina, Nat. Co-ordinator, CODAPEC –Member, Mrs Prudence Asamoah-Bonti, Ghana Standards Board –Member, Mr John A. Pwamang, Director, CCMC/EPA –Member, Nana Adjei Kramoh, GCCSFA –Member, Mr Lawrence Ayisi Botwe, LICOBAG –Member, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh, CEPS –Member, Mr Vesper Suglo, Director, PPRSD/MOFA 5 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Project Implementation Team Mr K. Gorkeh-Sekyim, M.D. QCCL and National Co-ordinator Dr S. T. Lowor, Biochemist, CRIG Dr Francis Baah, Agric Economist/Extension Mr George Okyere, Quality Control Manager, QCCL Mr William Azalekor, Entomologist, QCCL Mr Francis Enyan, Principal Quality Control Officer 6 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Project Account A project account has been opened. 60% of counterpart contribution has been transferred into the account. 7 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Stakeholder Institutions Relevant stakeholder Institutions have been contacted and nominations for the steering committee have been received. Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Implementation of core activities under project components Up-date on existing SPS practices along the cocoa supply chain In general, pesticide residues raise the greatest level of concern with our exports to the EU identified as the key market with new legislation on residues though contaminants are also becoming important. 9 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

10 There are significant country variations however. For example Ghana focuses on Japanese standards for pesticide residues, despite the relatively small proportion (4%) of its export market.

Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June Japan has the most stringent specifications for MRLs and conforming to their requirements reduces the burden of meeting the requirements of other cocoa importing countries. In view of this, activities are carried out to improve the existing SPS practices

Information dissemination Adequate awareness has been created among cocoa farmers and other stakeholders along the cocoa supply chain on the SPS standards Information on pesticide use is disseminated to Farmers at organized rallies at least twice every month in all cocoa districts in Ghana. Rural FM stations are also used to inform farmers generally about the rational use of pesticides. 12 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

13 Emphasis is placed on the dangers of wrong application of pesticides and the need to use only approved pesticides. They are also educated on the importance of acquiring pesticides from the right source to avert the use of fake ones. Other stakeholders have also been provided relevant information through seminars and workshops.

Set up of laboratories and SPS projects In addition to Ghana Standards Board there are four other laboratories involved in pesticide residue analysis of cocoa beans. – Three of these laboratories are in QCC –one in Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG). Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June At the moment new Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometers (GC/MS) have been installed in all these laboratories though the MS is not in operation. Pesticide residue analysis has commenced in one of the QCC laboratories on a low scale. Full scale utility of the equipment will commence after a few logistical challenges are addressed. One new High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) has been installed in one of the QCC laboratories and two new ones are yet to be installed in the other laboratories in preparation for take off of a large scale pesticide residue analysis.

Additionally an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) for the analysis of heavy metals is in place. Also, a Flame Photometer (FP) for the analysis of sodium, potassium and lithium has been procured. Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Other SPS core activities Another SPS activity that will soon take off fully is mycotoxin analysis. The activity commenced with samples collection for ochratoxin analysis (OTA) from all the 73 cocoa districts in Ghana. Collected samples have been stored at the moment in a very low temperature refrigerator. Actual analysis is yet to start using the HPLC. Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June These sets of equipment and the staff trained to run them form part of the countrys counterpart contribution in kind towards the project

Screening cocoa beans for Free Fatty Acids (FFA) has not been part of the SPS activity per se but QCC has done a lot to ensure that cocoa beans exported have FFA less than the threshold of 1.0%. Both education and effective warehouse management has helped to curb the FFA to the barest minimum. Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Training Some staff have been trained in the pesticide residue analysis. But not much has been done with regards to training in heavy metal analysis due to inadequate logistics A lot more needs to be done to ensure conformity and compliance to international standards. Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June

Constraints We do not anticipate very many constraints at this moment. The only few ones encountered so far have been the: – Late opening of the account and transfer of project funds to facilitate timely procurement of expendables. – Delayed installation and exploitation of equipment in other labs. ie Kumasi and Takoradi 21 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Perspective Formal inauguration of the NSC is expected soon. Project funds from external sources are also expected to be lodged soon after here. We hope that all needed structures will be duly established for the smooth take off of planned project activities. 22 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011

Acknowledgement The Ghana team on behalf of COCOBOD and on its own behalf wishes to express gratitude to ICCO, STDF and all other donor agencies for such an important support to implement a project of this nature. We wish all teams a successful and smooth implementation. Thank you. 23 Regional Workshop presentation, Yaounde, Cameroon 7-11 June 2011