HISTORY

The Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA), was created as an Inter-Governmental Organization by the signing of an Agreement among Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Member States of CARICOM originally signed this Agreement establishing CAHFSA in Roseau, Dominica, on March 12, 2010. The Revised CAHFSA Agreement adopted on February 25, 2011 in St. George’s, Grenada replaced the originally signed Agreement. In October 2014, CAHFSA became operational with the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer. Located in Paramaribo, Suriname, CAHFSA is governed by a Board of Directors comprising one representative of each Member State representing the specialized areas of focus of CAHFSA as well as a representative from the CARICOM Secretariat who is represented on the Board as an observer. A Chief Executive Officer and three (3) Department Heads manage the day-to-day activities of the Agency. The services offered by CAHFSA falls under three (3) main areas: Food Safety, Plant Health, and Animal Health.

MANDATE

CAHFSA is mandated to:

• perform a coordinating and organizing role in the establishment of an effective and efficient regional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regime;
• execute on behalf of Member States such SPS actions and activities that can be more effectively and efficiently executed through a regional mechanism.

VISION

“To be a leading regional institution of international repute in the application of Agricultural Health and Food Safety Systems.”

MISSION

“to enhance regional development in agricultural health and food safety through the application of SPS Measures that meets the expectation of all stakeholders and contribute to the welfare of our citizens.”

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

• To provide regional and national support to the Community in the establishment, management and operations of its national agricultural health and food safety systems as they relate to the SPS measures of the SPS Agreement;
• To execute on behalf of those countries such actions and activities that can be more effectively and efficiently executed through a regional mechanism.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To provide a mechanism for the coordination and integration of technical support to stakeholders by relevant regional and international organizations;
• To provide a framework to continuously monitor and evaluate national agricultural health and food safety programmes and provide technical support
• To facilitate the development and use of regional, as well as international SPS standards, measures and guidelines;
• to strengthen the policy and legal framework for SPS related issues;
• to facilitate the harmonization of technical procedures in relation to SPS issues
• to provide a framework for the conduct of tests and the strengthening of laboratory services
• to provide a mechanism for achieving regional consensus on SPS issues that can be represented in international fora;
• to provide an effective regional mechanism to respond rapidly to emergencies and emerging issues;
• to establish a mechanism to facilitate the provision of technical assistance to stakeholders in the private sector by regional and international organizations to improve productivity and competitiveness in the market place;

MEMBERSHIP

Full Membership of CAHFSA is opened to all members of the Caribbean Community. This includes Antigua and Barbuda. Bahamas. Barbados. Belize. Dominica. Grenada. Guyana. Haiti. Jamaica. Montserrat. Saint Lucia. St Vincent and the Grenadines. Suriname. Trinidad and Tobago.

Associate Membership of CAHFSA is opened to Associate Members of the Community. These include Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands.