48 I EUROPEAN SEED I EUROPEAN-SEED.COM T he Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) is a global partner- ship that helps developing countries to access international markets by tack- ling sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) gaps, and promoting food safety, animal and plant health. The STDF works to support sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, food security and envi- ronmental protection. This gave reason for European Seed to take a closer look at this organization, so we sat down with Melvin Spreij, Head of the STDF at the World Trade Organization. EUROPEAN SEED (ES): MELVIN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT MORE ABOUT THE STDF MECHANISM, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WAS IT CREATED, WHY WAS IT NECESSARY TO CREATE IT, WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT DOES? MELVIN SPREIJ (MS): As a small-scale farmer, producer or trader in a devel- oping country, getting your food and agricultural products, including seeds and crops, into markets worldwide is not straightforward. In a world of greater competition and higher demands from consumers for safe food, even as tariffs fall, the impact of non-tariff measures is rising. Often sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) gaps end up blocking exports, due to a lack of technical know-how and skills across agricultural value chains. Climate change is adding to the problem of pests and diseases that put agricultural produc- tion and the environment at risk. Without a source of export income, rural liveli- hoods are under threat in many develop- ing countries. It adds up to a complex challenge, as recognized in the UN’s development agenda to 2030. Helping producers to meet international food safety, animal and plant health standards and access global markets needs shared solutions. And it’s the reason why the STDF was set up nearly 15 years ago, with a vision to champion sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, food security and environmental protection in developing countries. It was established by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the World Bank Group, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), which manages the partnership. Today, the STDF with its knowledge hub, exchange platform and cross-cutting innovative SPS projects, benefits from a growing global network of trade, health and agriculture experts. The partnership includes donors, SPS experts from developing countries, various other international and regional organizations, the private sector, research institutes, uni- versities and NGOs. The STDF secretariat is currently housed within the WTO building. Who is Facilitating Safe Trade, Raising Agriculture Production and Improving Public Health? A CLOSER LOOK AT THE STDF. BY: MARCEL BRUINS ES: THE FOCUS IS ON DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, BUT ALSO AMONG DEVELOPED COUNTRIES THERE IS A DIVERGING PATCHWORK OF NATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF SPS STANDARDS AND OTHER REGULATIONS. WHY DO COUNTRIES DIVERGE AND WHAT IS NEEDED TO COME TO A LARGER DEGREE OF HARMONIZATION ON A GLOBAL SCALE? MS: The IPPC international seed stand- ard to facilitate the movement of healthy seeds was adopted in 2017 and is the latest example of why harmonization matters worldwide. To get agri-food products across borders, governments and industry have a shared interest in meeting interna- Compliance with international standards not only facilitates safe trade but also helps in raising agriculture production levels and improving public health. MELVIN SPREIJ