National Biosecurity Agency approaches end of first year of operations |13 October 2017

Photo credit: National Biosecurity Agency

 The National Biosecurity Agency (NBA) was established on November 1, 2016 under the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act 2014 with the aim to better address the concerning animal and plant biosecurity issues in the country. As it approaches the end of its first year of operations, the Agency speaks to the Seychelles NATION about the details of its roles/functions, as well as the achievements and challenges that the year has brought thus far.

The mandate of the NBA is to Prevent and Manage Pest, Diseases and Invasion Alien Species (IAS) Incursion (Introduction) and Occurrences (Outbreak) as subjected under the law, which also makes provision to our obligation at National, Regional and International level.

As part of this mandate, the agency engages with various government institutions such as the Ports Authority, Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Environment and also traders/importers, farmers/growers, private sector, as well as non-government organisations.

A spokesperson at the NBA says that the role of the agency is vital as it “provides protection to the life and health of humans, animals and plants as well as the country’s economy, including tourism, agriculture, trade and various aspects of the environment such as the eco-system, biodiversity, flora and fauna”.

He adds that it is important to remember that biosecurity is not only the responsibility of the government, but the private sector and the general public. Seychelles Biosecurity should be everybody’s business, even the visitors to our shores.

The NBA is guided by a number of policy and legal frameworks such as the Constitution of Seychelles, international treaties and conventions ratified by the country as well as other statutory instruments that make reference to the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act 2014. These include the broad Biosecurity policy, National Food and Nutrition Security policy, Seychelles Biosecurity Agency Strategic Plan, Seychelles National Investment Plan and the Seychelles Sustainable Development Plan.

NBA is Seychelles’contact point for the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) - National Plant Protection Organisation and for the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

The agency’s function is regulatory in nature on a cost recovery basis but it also provides technical advice to other line ministries. It is currently made up of four main sections, including the chief executive officer’s secretariat as well as three technical units: Pre border; Border and Post border control.

All technical units provide advisory services to its stakeholders, including traders, importers, farmers, back-yard growers, pet owners and members of the public.

Pre Border Section’s main focus is to keep regulated pests, diseases and other unwanted organisms out of the country. Its main activities include:

• Conducting pest risk analysis.
• Identifying and managing pathways from which exotic diseases and quarantine pests of significant economic importance enter into the country.
• Negotiating access to the Seychelles market for animal, plant and their products thereof.
• Developing biosecurity import conditions, including phytosanitary and sanitary measures.
• Ensuring compliance with requirements of importing countries (biosecurity export procedure).
• Ensuring that NBA meets its national, regional and international commitments/agreements.
• Exchange of information on animal and plant health issues with trading partners.

Border Control Section’s main roles are to ensure compliance when importing regulated articles into the country by:

• Issuing sanitary and phytosanitary documents (import and export permits).
• Inspecting regulated articles upon entering and prior to leaving the country.
• Carrying out risk profiling.
• Intercepting illegally imported regulated articles.
• Addressing non-compliance (re-export, confiscation and destruction of regulated articles not meeting the country’s biosecurity import conditions).
• Biosecurity quarantine and treatments for compliance of imported and/or exported regulated articles (animals, plants and their products).
• Implementing the biosecurity law and regulations such as fines and penalties in cases of non-compliance.
• Issuing notification to non-compliance for greater transparency.

Post border Section is responsible for controlling pests and diseases which could have entered the country either through authorised or unauthorised imports pathways. It focuses mainly on:

• Biosecurity emergency response and internal control following pest and disease incursions or outbreaks.
• Contingency planning and emergency response plans.
• Pest/disease surveillance and monitoring programmes.
• Laboratory diagnostics and analysis of pests and diseases and/or any other abiotic factors.
• Pests and diseases control programmes, e.g. control of fruit fly pest, “hairy caterpillar” and/or any new occurrences.
• Other specific research work activities related to biosecurity issues e.g. pest and diseases outbreak, control methods and products, population and host study etc.

First year of operations

Achievements:

ü  Able to maintain the country’s favourable animal health status despite happenings in the region and afar.

ü  Implement emergency plans for any new pest incursion.

ü  Eradication of new pest incursion (introduction) such as Tomato leafminer (Tutaabosoluta) and Tortoise beetle (Aspidimorpohaquinquefasciata).

ü  Met all stakeholders to work in close collaboration and involve them in the biosecurity spectrum.

ü  Intensify enforcement and implementation of the law and its related regulations, e.g. impose fines on non-compliance issues, confiscation and destruction.

ü  Managed to be more pro-active with the interception of new pest and diseases for emergency to contain and/or eradicate the pests/diseases at an early stage.

ü  Reinforcement of import/pest risk analysis/assessment and strict enforcement on import requirements/conditions to ensure compliance of regulated articles (animals, plants and their products).

ü  Emphasis on training and capacity building through development of a strong and professional working relationship with key influencers within international networks to access more organisational benefits.

Challenges:

ü  Outbreak/incursion of new pests and diseases on the African continent and elsewhere which could negatively impact Seychelles.

ü  The increase in number of flights, travellers/tourists and cargoes are putting a lot of pressure on the existing resources of the NBA.

ü  Traders exploring new products poses a threat for new pests and diseases incursion (introduction) into Seychelles.

ü  The threat from new pathways through the opening of new flights destinations, foreign workers and shipping movement.

ü  Lack of appropriate facilities including physical, funding and human resources including scientific professionals capable of undertaking the tasks needed, e.g. Entomology, Pathology & Virology.

ü  Lack of cooperation from trading partners during pest risk analysis, e.g. timely response in exchanging technical information, particularly on pest and disease outbreak and existing ones.

NBA’s advice to stakeholders and the general public

ü  It is the responsibility of every importer/trader or their agents to ensure that they are well versed with the biosecurity import/export procedures and requirements for both inbound and outbound cargo.

ü  If you are not certain about information and procedures on the importation of animals, plants or their products, please contact the NBA for clarification and technical advice.

ü  Ensure you have obtained the required biosecurity import or export document (permit) for compliances.

ü  Do not smuggle any animals, plants or their products into the country.

ü  If you happen to hear of or see anything unusual related to biosecurity risk, kindly contact the NBA for assistance with investigation, diagnosis and early response.

For enquiries or further information, contact the NBA on: 4324000. Queries can also be sent to: enquiry@nba.gov.sc