Building diagnostic capacity in Central America: A cooperative effort with the Southern Plant Diagnostic Network, USDA-FAS, and Ministries of Agriculture

• Published in: Phytopathology Vol. 99; no. 6; p. S51
• Main Authors: Harmon, CL, Harmon, P F, Vitoreli, A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.06.2009
• ISSN: 0031-949X

The Southern Plant Diagnostic Network (SPDN) and the USDA-Foreign Agriculture Service have established a cooperative project to provide plant pest diagnostic training for phytosanitary laboratories in Central America. The trainings help laboratories develop best practices for plant diagnostics. Participating countries are signatories to the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). Participation in the program and compliance with the agreement require laboratory assessments and cooperation between Regional Ministries of Agriculture. The SPDN provided advanced diagnostic training to personnel from expert and/or phytosanitary laboratories in these countries in the form of regional workshops held in the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Guatemala in 2008 and 2009. Participants were selected by their countries to attend intensive week-long hands-on laboratory training. Participants developed standard operating protocols (SOP) for the diseases and insects on the import/export priority pest lists. Fourteen SOPs are complete or will be completed by the end of 2009. These protocols will be shared and implemented among participating countries. The establishment of standard protocols and reporting requirements for baseline monitoring and detection programs will foster trust between cooperating organizations and will facilitate safer and more accessible agricultural trade.