Support Food Safety Agency BIH in implementation of the official control according to CR (EC) No 882/2004/EC
The assignment was carried out as part of ORGUT’s subcontract with Chemonics International within the USAID/Sida project –FARMA in Bosnia-Herzegovina. The purpose of USAID/Sida FARMA is to provide technical assistance in agricultural sub-sectors through demand driven assistance aimed at improved competitiveness of agricultural products. USAID/Sida FARMA is a development project jointly funded by USAID and Sida and implemented in Bosnia and Herzegovina. USAID/Sida FARMA is to expand environmentally sustainable production, processing, and sales of value-added agricultural products. The expected result of FARMA is contribution to poverty reduction. USAID/Sida FARMA is implemented by Chemonics International with ORGUT as a subcontractor. ORGUT provides consulting services aiming at increasing agricultural competitiveness, meeting EU accession standards, reducing poverty by expanding environmentally sustainable production, and increasing sales, exports, and employment. USAID/Sida FARMA’s approach focuses on four integrated components: Building sustainable market linkages for producers; Increasing access to finance; Building the capacity of producer organisations’ and other counterparts; and Enhancing the policy environment to benefit competitiveness of agricultural goods. In order to attain project goals, USAID/ Sida FARMA uses various tools, including a Development Fund and Partners Fund for targeted subcontracts to local partners.
Member states of the European Union are obliged to perform the official control of the food of plant and animal origin according to Regulation (EC) No 178/2002/EC of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of 29 April 2004 on official controls performed to ensure the verification of compliance with feed and food law, animal health and animal welfare rules. Due to the requirements and criteria of an open European market, it is necessary for countries aspiring to become EU member states to make progress in official control.
During the past 12 months, USAID/Sida FARMA has already supported the BiH Food Safety Agency (FSA) in the development of an official control program for pesticide residues in products of plant and animal origin. Support was provided in the revision of the first draft of the monitoring program as well as in assessment of laboratories’ capacities, which included participation in proficiency testing (PT) for eight laboratories. FARMA intends to provide continued support to the BiH Food Safety Agency to help ensure that the monitoring program on pesticide residues is implemented in accordance with EU acquis on food safety.