Online Reporter
Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
Plant health systems expert, Mr Nhamo Mudada has been accredited as a Phytosanitary Capacity Evaluation (PCE) facilitator, becoming the first Zimbabwean and one of the four individuals in SADC to get such recognition.
Mr Mudada who is also the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) provincial director for Manicaland province, is among the 20 other nationals who received the accreditation certificate.
The certificate is issued by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development X handle read: “Accredited as one of the world’s top 20 PCE facilitators, Mr Nhamo Mudada has made history by becoming the only Zimbabwean and one of the four individuals in SADC region to receive this prestigious accreditation from the IPPC.”
The PCE is designed to help a country identify both strengths and weaknesses in its existing and planned phytosanitary systems.
The IPPC secretariat said PCE facilitators were trained by experts with over 10 years of phytosanitary experience.
“The IPPC Secretariat considers these trainers as certified PCE facilitators. The IPPC Secretariat used trainers to deliver PCE facilitators training courses and the trainees who have satisfactorily completed this training course and conducted a PCE are eligible for the PCE facilitator certification process,” the IPPC said.
A procedure for PCE facilitators certification is established to ensure an accurate, repeatable and transparent process under the oversight of the PCE board.
The IPPC revealed that, “Nhamo Mudada is a Zimbabwean expert with over 22 years of experience in plant health, phytosanitary systems, seed systems, rural development, and monitoring and evaluation.
“His career includes a 12-year tenure as the Head of the Plant Quarantine Services Institute, (NPPO of Zimbabwe),” said the organisation.
Prior to joining the NPPO, he was a plant breeder with the national breeding programmes, continued the IPPC.
His expertise in plant health systems covers a wide range of subjects including phytosanitary policy and regulations, market access, pest surveillance, pest diagnostics services, pest risk analysis, phytosanitary inspections, measures, certification, good agricultural practices, monitoring and evaluation, and training and extension,” disclosed the IPPC.
Mr Mudada played a pivotal role in maintaining old and accessing new markets for plant products destined to China, the European Union, and the Middle East among others.
Phytosanitary certificates are essential when exporting produce.
A phytosanitary certificate is an official document issued by a country’s National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) to certify that a consignment of plants, plant products, or other regulated articles meets the phytosanitary import requirements of the importing country.
