Plant Protection Bill tabled
Mar 01, 2004
THE minister of Agriculture, animal industry and fisheries, Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa, has tabled in Parliament a Plant Protection and Health Bill, 2003, aimed at reforming the law relating to protection of plants against destructive diseases, pests and weeds.
THE minister of Agriculture, animal industry and fisheries, Dr. Kisamba Mugerwa, has tabled in Parliament a Plant Protection and Health Bill, 2003, aimed at reforming the law relating to protection of plants against destructive diseases, pests and weeds, writes Ronald Kalyango.
The bill would also aim at preventing the introduction and spread of harmful organisms, which may adversely affect Uganda’s agriculture, the natural environment and livelihood of the people and other related matters. It would also provide for enforcement of phytosanitary standards and measures in relation to international trade, and provide regulation of the living Modified Organisms.
Mugerwa said they are reviewing the plant protection Act of 1962, which has been out-dated, to harmonise its provisions with other multisectoral legislation that are relatively new, including National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) statute and seed Law. He adds that the bill would harmonise the provisions with those of the revised International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) frame work for the establishment of pest-free areas, and pest Risk Analysis as a tool for scientific and transparent phytosanitary decisions and to take into consideration current/emerging issues like genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“The recent developments like GMO’s and biocontrols in addition to recent institutional developments like WTO- SPS agreement and international trade are all implemented in the new bill yet the old Act only focused on the prevention of introduction and spread of exotic pests and diseases through imports.†Kisamba said.
The Plant Protection and Health Bill- 2003 addresses the health and safety of plant/plant products, imports and health, safety and competitiveness of the country’s exports of plant and plant products saying the old Act prevented the introduction and spread of the imports of diseases destructive plants.
The bill includes beneficial organisms; committee, commissioner, contamination, conveyance, currency point, harmful organisms, importer, import permit, inspection, minister Natural environment, organisms outbreaks, owner, packaging material phytosanitary, phytosanitary certificates, plant health, quarantine pests, soil and weeds. Ends.../
The bill would also aim at preventing the introduction and spread of harmful organisms, which may adversely affect Uganda’s agriculture, the natural environment and livelihood of the people and other related matters. It would also provide for enforcement of phytosanitary standards and measures in relation to international trade, and provide regulation of the living Modified Organisms.
Mugerwa said they are reviewing the plant protection Act of 1962, which has been out-dated, to harmonise its provisions with other multisectoral legislation that are relatively new, including National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) statute and seed Law. He adds that the bill would harmonise the provisions with those of the revised International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) frame work for the establishment of pest-free areas, and pest Risk Analysis as a tool for scientific and transparent phytosanitary decisions and to take into consideration current/emerging issues like genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
“The recent developments like GMO’s and biocontrols in addition to recent institutional developments like WTO- SPS agreement and international trade are all implemented in the new bill yet the old Act only focused on the prevention of introduction and spread of exotic pests and diseases through imports.†Kisamba said.
The Plant Protection and Health Bill- 2003 addresses the health and safety of plant/plant products, imports and health, safety and competitiveness of the country’s exports of plant and plant products saying the old Act prevented the introduction and spread of the imports of diseases destructive plants.
The bill includes beneficial organisms; committee, commissioner, contamination, conveyance, currency point, harmful organisms, importer, import permit, inspection, minister Natural environment, organisms outbreaks, owner, packaging material phytosanitary, phytosanitary certificates, plant health, quarantine pests, soil and weeds. Ends.../