Guide for assessing investment needs in laboratory capacities for managing food safety, plant health, and animal health

2009 
Governments of developing countries often consider whether to expand laboratory capacities in support of agriculture and food. Goals may range from improving market access through demonstrable compliance with bilateral and multilateral sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements, to better control of food-borne pathogens and disease, animal diseases and plant pests, and to improving competitiveness of the private sector. Since development of laboratory capacities is expensive and technically demanding, they often seek grant and loan support from bilateral donors, international agencies, the World Bank and other international financial institutions (IFIs). However, the outcome from developmentally-oriented investment in laboratories has often not been satisfactory. Throughout the developing world many laboratories created with outside support are underused, produce poor test results and experience great financial difficulties. In some cases laboratories or entire systems go from rescue to rescue. This guide provides a framework for feasibility assessment of investment in laboratory capacities. It recognizes that needs vary greatly with the level of development, the size of a country, its product mix, the domestic food safety situation, the pest and disease situation in agriculture, the requirements in its export markets and the perceived risks related to imports.
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