MCDA Final Report Malawi - Standards and Trade Development ...

participation/oversight of the Competent Authority and samples sent to an accredited residue
testing.
Samples have to be analysed for residues in an accredited laboratory. As there is no accredited
laboratory in Malawi, a facility in South Africa, elsewhere in the African continent or in Europe
would need to be used.
The results of the analyses are included in a draft EU Accreditation Request. Assistance would
need to be provided to the MoAFS in submitting the request to the European Commission and in
responding to any questions, comments and suggestions that are forthcoming.
Having achieved approval, sampling and testing is undertaken on an annual basis, with the results
communicated to the European Commission in order to maintain approval.
4.5. Pesticide controls for tobacco
Tobacco is an intensively-managed crop that is attacked by a wide range of pests and diseases.
Inevitably this leads to the widespread use of agro-chemicals, some of which are tightly regulated in
export markets for their environmental and/or human health impacts. There can also be significant risks
to human health locally, notably for those engaged in the production and/or post-harvest handling of
tobacco. The accepted approach to the control of agro-chemicals is through the implementation of
GAP’s by farmers. In a smallholder dominated sector such as in Malawi, this requires extensive training
of producers and support for infrastructural improvements.
4.6. Pesticide controls for pulses
Generally-speaking the pest and disease complex affecting pulses requires minimal use of
agrochemicals. Certainly crop chemical requirements are less than for maize (see Section 4.7).
Therefore, from a trade perspective the issue here is probably more of demonstrating compliance to
importing country agro-chemical MRLs than of implementing GAPs at the production level. Regional
trade standards are being developed by the EAC that are likely to be based on CODEX MRLs as the
default agrochemical standard. Malawi should have little difficulty in achieving compliance, although
demonstrating this may be more difficult.
Production of pulses is smallholder-based and thus highly fragmented such that it is logical to look at
compliance at the point of export/import. Countries such as India is likely to insist on testing on a
consignment basis at the port of entry, whilst other countries in the region will likely rely on ad hoc
arrangements between buyers and their end customers. For example, it is unlikely that exports to the
COMESA and SADC region would require certified tests for the presence of agrochemicals, but that
private sector buyers in South Africa will almost certainly insist on demonstration of compliance through
some form of GAP certification.
4.7. Pesticide controls for maize
Maize is attacked by a wide range of pests and diseases and which, in many cases, need to be managed
through the use of agrochemicals. A review of current agrochemical recommendations in Zimbabwe,
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