Survey toolbox for plant pests - A practical manual for surveillance of agricultural crops and forests

Increasing trade liberalisation has brought with it obligations for countries seeking WTO access. One of these is the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). This outlines domestic regulations for handling the presence of contaminants that may be found in traded commodities, including guidelines and international standards. Nowhere does this impact more than in the trade of agricultural commodities, the main export hope of many developing countries. The SPS Agreement requires countries to have well founded quarantine, technical and scientific capacities, areas in which most developing countries are under-resourced. Provision of a survey toolbox for plant pests will help in devising surveillance programs and other protocols to meet the requirements under the SPS Agreement.