Arusha, Tanzania – 21 October 2025
Day 2 of the Regional Training Workshop on Navigating Cross-Border Trade of Agroecological Products focused on the intersection of agroecology, trade, and sustainable development — examining how Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) form the backbone of safe, fair, and competitive regional trade under the WTO, AfCFTA, and EAC frameworks.
Linking Agroecology to Global and Regional Trade Frameworks
Participants explored how the WTO Agreements on SPS and TBT ensure that agricultural products traded across borders meet global standards for safety, quality, and fairness. The sessions emphasised that compliance with these frameworks not only protects human, animal, and plant health but also positions agroecological products as high-value exports aligned with sustainability and consumer trust.
At the continental level, the AfCFTA Annex 7 on SPS and Annex 6 on TBT extend these disciplines to the African context, promoting mutual recognition of standards, regional surveillance networks, and inclusive participation of women and youth in certification and quality-assurance processes.
Within the EAC, the SPS Protocol (2013) and TBT Protocol (2009) provide the operational framework for harmonising standards, recognising tests and certificates across Partner States, and facilitating the movement of safe, traceable products across borders. Together, these instruments reduce duplication, lower costs, and build consumer confidence in regional markets.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures — Safeguarding Health, Enabling Trade
The SPS session unpacked the five core principles of the WTO SPS Agreement — scientific basis, harmonisation, equivalence, transparency, and least trade restrictiveness.
Through interactive case examples, participants applied these principles to regional products such as maize, groundnuts, honey, and horticultural produce.
They learned that SPS compliance begins at the production level — through testing for aflatoxins and moisture content, phytosanitary inspection, and certification by accredited laboratories — and continues with traceability and documentation throughout the value chain.
Digital innovations such as ePhyto and eCert are now transforming this landscape by linking inspection authorities and customs systems, cutting clearance times, and strengthening risk-based inspections for perishable agroecological goods.
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) — Building Quality, Traceability, and Trust
Participants examined how TBT measures ensure that agroecological products meet defined standards of labelling, packaging, performance, and certification. Discussions centred on the EAC Quality Infrastructure System, comprising standardisation, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, and market surveillance, which collectively guarantee product reliability and consumer protection.
The WTO TBT Agreement (1995) and AfCFTA Annex 6 mandate that technical regulations must not become unnecessary trade obstacles. For traders, this means predictable certification processes and transparent access to regional markets once a product meets harmonised East African Standards (EAS).
Examples from the honey and organic-herbs sectors demonstrated that harmonised TBT frameworks — supported by Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) and shared laboratory facilities — significantly reduce testing costs and delays for small producers.
Key Takeaways
By the end of Day 2, participants recognised that:
- SPS ensures safety and science-based trade.
- TBT guarantees quality and credibility; and
- NTB frameworks ensure fairness and inclusivity across the trading landscape.
Collectively, these systems bridge agroecology with market access, aligning sustainable production with trusted regional and continental trade systems under the EAC, AfCFTA, and WTO frameworks. The message was clear — safe, traceable, and high-quality agroecological products are Africa’s passport to sustainable trade and development.