Project funding: FRUCOM meets with Standards and Trade Development Facility of World Trade Organisation

Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) of WTO aims at supporting farmers, processors and traders in developing countries to access global markets: http://www.standardsfacility.org/

This meeting was organised by FRUCOM umbrella organisation SACAR, which is already involved in one of the projects, E—phyto on electronic phytosanitary certificates, financed by STDF.

To ensure commitment, co-financing is required by the beneficiary country. Currently, around 65% of financing goes to developing countries, as defined by OSCD. Least developed countries must pay 10% of the total budget; the rest is contributed by STDF. Lower income countries contribute 20%, upper middle income pay 60%, unless there is a regional approach, in which case the share by the countries is 20% and if an LDC is involved it is 10%.

STDF works together with the European Commission, among others. Funding is received via DG Development, but co-ordination is done with DG TRADE and DG SANTE.

The STDF secretariat checks that there is value added of the projects. Their wish is to work more with the private sector organisations in the future. They receive 50-60 proposals per year. It may take up to one year to prepare a project in line with STDF requirements and 2 months to 1 year for STDF to decide. There is also grant money up to 50 000 euros available for the preparation of projects. Next deadline for project submission is 10 August.

Food safety improvement is important objective for STDF. Examples of project already carried out under FOOD SAFETY:

· Coordinating action on aflatoxin control in Malawi

· Promoting safety in Nigeria’s sesame and shea exports

· Building food safety skills for shrimp farmers in Bangladesh

· Boosting safe fruit and vegetable exports from Thailand and Viet Nam

· Championing feed and food safety across Africa, Asia and Latin America

· Supporting Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia to meet pesticide standards for export

More info: STDF results

Contact: Anna Boulova, aboulova@frucom.eu