Agricultural Health and Food Safety Policy and Implementation Plan for Antigua and Barbuda.

The policy covers a five-year timeframe from 2023 to 2028 and establishes a strategic framework to modernize and integrate the sanitary and phytosanitary systems of the country. Its primary objective is to harmonize national regulatory structures with global benchmarks to protect public health and facilitate cross-border trade. The policy addresses systemic fragmentation by clearly defining the mandates of various government agencies and proposing a centralized coordinating body to oversee the management of food safety, animal health, and plant protection.
The policy outlines a comprehensive legislative agenda including the development of new legal instruments for food safety and integrated chemicals management to replace outdated statutes. Key implementation pillars involve the upgrading of diagnostic laboratory capacities, the enhancement of border inspection protocols, and the establishment of a national surveillance system for foodborne illnesses and agricultural pests. Furthermore, the framework mandates the adoption of preventative quality assurance systems, such as hazard analysis and critical control points, across the entire production and distribution chain.
To ensure accountability, the framework incorporates a monitoring and evaluation system based on specific performance indicators. These metrics track the reduction of foodborne disease outbreaks, the frequency of export rejections, and national response times to biological threats. The plan specifically targets the technical capacity of small and medium enterprises to meet market requirements, thereby addressing technical barriers to trade and enhancing the sustainability of the agri-food sector against climate-related and biological risks.