Good Practice in SPS-related Technical Cooperation

1. Good Practice in SPS-related Technical Cooperation Fruit Fly Vapour Heat Disinfestation for Vietnam fresh fruit: an example of technical cooperation experiences with JICA (2005-2008) Dr. Nguyen Huu Dat PEQ II, Plant Protection Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

2. Structure of Presentation I. Introduction to project II. Process of project implementation III. Outcomes of the project IV. Lessons learnt

3. I. Introduction • The reason why we selected the project • Practical demand for assistance • Project purpose

4. The reason why • Plant quarantine system and technical skills of Vietnam quarantine staff were not sufficiently developed to meet the challenges of international trade requirements. • Training needed to be able to access export markets.

5. Practical demand for assistance • VietNam requested the Government of Japan to provide technical assistance in fruit fly disinfestation of fresh fruit • A JICA-funded (Japan International Cooperation Agency) project was proposed

6. Project purpose • Vietnamese staff is capable of applying disinfestation technique of fruit flies that complies with international standard to improve Vietnamese dragon fruits’ access to international market. Vietnamese staff trained to be capable of applying disinfestation technique of fruit flies that complies with international standard to improve access of Vietnamese dragon fruit to international market. Leading to Lift Japanese ban on imports of Vietnamese dragon fruit

7. II. Process of project implementation Duration of Project • 3 years: March 2005 until end of February 2008 Site of Project • Post-Entry Quarantine Centre No. II under Plant Protection Department (PPD) of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)

8. Dragon fruit Identification of target commodity Hylocereus costaricensis Hylocereus undatus Selenicereus megalanthus

9. Genus Bactrocera of family Tephritidae Identification of target pests B.correcta B.dorsalis B.cucurbitae

10. Series of experiments implemented • Improvement of rearing methods for fruit flies based on previous project work (CARD) • Various machine performance tests conducted • Experiments on how to avoid fruit injury • Experiments to develop heat disinfestation treatment for dragon fruit (e.g. hot water dipping tests, susceptibility tests, small and large scale mortality tests) • Data storage system developed and utilized

11. III. Outcomes of the Project • Evaluation team recognized project results as excellence. • Project achieved its objectives – expect that the import ban on Vietnamese dragon fruit to Japanese market will be lifted in December 2008 Availability of skilled staff • Vietnamese staff continue to build on project success and further develop capacity to meet the challenges ahead for market access.

12. Mortality test Injury test Small scale mortality test Small scale injury test Large scale mortality test Large scale injury test Preparation of technical report Submission of technical report • Visit of Vietnamese officials to Japan in April 2008. • Technical report for lifting the ban submitted to Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

13. Import ban expected to be lifted Official meeting between two countries (Discussion on plant quarantine regulations) • General evaluation by JICA and MAFF • Import ban on Vietnamese dragon fruit to Japan is expected to be lifted in December 2008 Public hearing (Collection of public opinions on lifting import ban of fruit) Amendment of regulations Commencement of Export(Dispatch of Japanese plant quarantine inspector)

14. Investment in commercial facility • Investment in commercial Vapor Heat Treatment (VHT) facility. • Expected to be fully operational by December 2008.

15. IV. Lessons to be learned 1. Government priority 2. Human resource development 3. Provision and management of equipment 4. Contribution of Vietnamese Government 5. Impact of the US Notification on Irradiation 6. Ways in which the impact of technical assistance can be maximized on trade performance 7. Lessons for other products and countries 8. Maintenance capabilities after end of project 9. Awareness raising 10. Difficulties and advantages

16. 1. Government priority • Official meetings between our 2 countries were made by both high and mid level officials • Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Viet Nam requested the Government of Japan to provide technical assistance in fruit fly disinfestations on fresh fruit

17. 2. Human resource development • Japanese experts provided on-site training for Vietnamese staff • 12 persons trained in 2005 and 2006, and 8 persons trained in 2007-2008

18. Overseas training • 3 Vietnamese lab analysts attended technical training in Okinawa, Japan in 2005, 2006 and 2007 (4 months)

19. Study tours • Two study tours to Japan for 6 Vietnamese managers to learn about Plant Quarantine Administration (2005 and 2006)

20. The importance of their duties • Commitment and performance of Vietnamese and Japanese counterparts. • Japanese scientists worked diligently and actively, and treated very expeditiously all potential problems during experiments and implementation. • Vietnamese staff quickly learnt all theories, techniques and practices taught by Japanese facilitators.

21. 3. Provision and management of equipment • Modern machines and equipment provided • Value of US$891,551 (total project budget was US$2.3 m)

22. Transportation: many hard works • Transportation of imported equipments from the port to the Quarantine Centre (PEQC II)

23. Installation of machinery made by Sanchu Experts Installation of machinery

24. Classification of every equipment Equipment management

25. Studying how to select the correct method Equipment management

26. Clean and maintain after use Equipment management

27. Equipment management Servicing generators regularly

28. 4. Contribution of Vietnamese Government FY2005 652,638,107 VND (41,228 USD) FY2006 286,043,299 VND (17,894 USD) FY2007 300,000,000 VND (18,653 USD)

29. Laboratory refurbishment • Equipment for 8 labs • Operation of equipment • Upgrade existing electricity and water systems in 8 labs to accommodate new equipment

30. Fruit supply • Supply of fruit in adequate condition for testing • Technical procedures followed so that fruit delivered to labs met requirements for injury and mortality tests

31. Other logistic arrangements • Generator establishment and activation • Recruitment of electricity technician for daily in-lab electric surveillance

32. 5. Impact of the US Notification on Irradiation • Since July 2007, Vietnamese Plant Protection Department working with APHIS-USDA to advance pre-clearance programme for irradiated dragon fruit to United States market. • Several dragon fruit production areas approved to produce for United States market. • Traceability system (PUC) established for fruit exports to United States. Will also be used for Japanese and other markets.

33. 6. Ways in which the impact of technical assistance can be maximized on trade performance Build on achievements of related technical assistance projects, and promote linkages • The dragon fruit pest list – developed under New Zealand project – used as main reference to draft the Pest Risk Assessment (PRA) for APHIS. • The draft PRA for dragon fruit by APHIS-USDA was in turn used to determine the target pests for the JICA project research. • The fruit fly pest determination from the JICA project was used to discuss and agree with APHIS-USDA to finalize the quarantine fruit fly pest list and PRA for Vietnamese dragon fruit (2008).

34. 7. Lessons for other products and countries • Using the equipment, facilities, knowledge developed under the JICA project, Vietnamese staff continue research to apply the same VHT method to other fruit (mango, milk apple) for Japanese market (2009-10). • The final technical report for VHT of dragon fruit submitted not only to Japan (April 2008) but also to Chinese Taipei (Sep. 2008) and New Zealand (planned in 2009). • Vietnamese staff provide training for plant quarantine inspectors in Cambodia on fruit fly rearing and VHT techniques (Oct. 2008) under a new JICA project.

35. 8. Maintenance capabilities after end of project • Vietnamese staff continue to build on success and further develop capacity to meet the challenges ahead for market access by ourselves. • Project sustainability ensured through funding from annual governmental budget: over 700 million Vietnamese Dong (USD 45,000) allocated for fiscal year 2008 (budget support from JICA ended in Feb. 2008).

36. 9. Awareness raising • Information exchange and dialogue with stakeholders • Private sector, university researchers, etc. participated in annual joint coordinating committee meetings held every year during project implementation. • Stakeholders participated in final project evaluation by JICA, MAFF, MARD. • Commercial interest and investment – expected to be completed at time when the ban is lifted by Japan.

37. 10. Difficulties and advantages Difficulties • Differences in timing of Vietnamese and Japanese fiscal years – administrative challenges. • Time to develop annual plans of project activities generally coincided with the end of Vietnamese fiscal year and the time when Vietnam counterparts had to draw up final financial balance-sheets.

38. Advantages • Timely decision-making and support from MARD, Plant Protection Department and leadership from other related organization for solving problems when they occurred. • Planned experiments for each year were implemented smoothly as scheduled.

39. Thank you for your kind attention and…

40. … and Welcome to VietNam