Sanitary And Phytosanitary Measures And Their Impact On Kenya

Abstract

While traditional trade barriers in agriculture such as tariffs continue to decline, technical and regulatory barriers are increasingly subject to debate. According to FAO's investigation, more developing counries experiencing trade obstacles due to SPS measures. SPS measures are any measure applied (a) To protect human or animal life or health from risks arising from additives, toxins or disease-causing organisms in foods, beverages or foodstuffs; (b) To protect human life or health arising from risks arising from diseases carried by animals, plants or products thereof, or from entry, establishment of pests; (c) To protect animal or plant life or health from risks arising entry, establishment or spread of pests, diseases, disease-carrying organisms or diseasecausing organism; (d) To prevent or limit other damage from the entry, establishment or spread of pests. For Kenya, SPS measures, which have had an adverse impact, are the requirement that products come from a disease-free (fish), specific processing or treatment of products (fish), allowable maximum levels of pesticide residues (horticultural products). This article discusses amongst others, factors external and domestic as a result of SPS measures, which have caused adverse terms of trade for Kenya in the fishing and horticultural sectors. The article will round off with recommendations and solutions to the developing countries and especially Kenya to implement the measures for their/her benefit.