Implementation Plan for the National Plant Health Policy 2014-2018.

The Jamaican national Plant Health Policy was developed, which identified the gaps and failures in the current plant health system in light of requirements of international treaties and agreements and food safety and phytosanitary standards of our major trading partners. The policy identified issues faced by Government that hinder the development of an efficient plant health system. The Implementation Plan will therefore make provision for the revision of existing legislation, building of institutional capacity, scientific systems, quarantine capacity, surveillance systems, emergency response for pest outbreaks and increased public awareness. The Implementation Plan identifies all the activities to be undertaken in achieving each policy objective; identifies the roles and responsibilities of the various Agencies involved in the process to prevent duplication of efforts; identifies gaps, limitations and interrelated activities which may impact the successful implementation of the policy; develops specific timelines, performance indicators and funding requirement; and provides for the monitoring and evaluation of the policy implementation.
The major objectives of this implementation plan are to: establish a national coordinating mechanism for plant health activities; improve the current plant health systems in accordance with international standards, obligations and best practices (such as International Plant Protection Convention or IPPC), World Trade Organization Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (WTOSPS); promulgate modern plant health legislation, associated regulations and protocols; strengthen technical and operational capacities of plant health entities; facilitate the development of systems to mitigate the introduction, spread and impact of harmful alien pest species, which will be used in tandem with the national Agricultural Disaster Risk Management System (ADRM); promote the use of good agricultural practices (GAPs) and good manufacturing practices (GMPs; post-harvest component); develop and implement public education and awareness programmes for plant health; facilitate plant health research and development activities; monitor and evaluate the overall plant health system.
The implementation of this policy will be govern by the structure below where the Government will designate the Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection Unit as the National Plant Protection Organization for Jamaica, with complementary plant health services provided by RADA, Plant Protection Unit and Customs Department. Government will also establish a National Plant Health Board to provide advice to the Minister responsible for Agriculture and to the new formally instituted NPPO on all matters related to plant health in the country.
The premises for the elaboration of this text are also based on the understanding and analysis of several parameters and facts, such as the intensification of production systems based on exotic species and climatic and environmental changes that have all increased the risks of introducing harmful alien species. This poses increasing difficulties for phytosanitary authorities. In their day-to-day operation, phytosanitary authorities now face many demands such as assessment of pest risk, evaluation of control measures and planning for emergency responses to pest outbreaks. In addition to this, the political and social impacts associated with regulated pests include the hampering of sustainable development opportunities as pest infestations and outbreaks negatively affect food security and rural stability. Pest outbreaks can impact negatively on small farmer incomes and lead to the deepening of poverty in rural areas due to the destruction of livelihoods. The implementation of this plan will be financed through budgetary support from the line Ministries and their respective agencies; financing of specific activities by the Cabinet Office; through allocation of funds under Component 2 of the ACP which provides support for the improvement of an integrated, efficient and sustained Agricultural Health and Food Safety system and; additionally, by leveraging international funding, from donor agencies, through development projects.