Kenya and the Netherlands have signed a deal to electronically certify the export of plants and plant products.
The Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service electronic system (KEPHIS) and the Netherlands Food and Consumer Safety Authority signed the agreement.
The electronic phytosanitary certificate (EPhyto) ensures that the conditions specified in the plant consignment are met. As a result, the certificate will eliminate fraud and save time and resources.
The EPhyto is also in real-time, as Kenyan inspectors send information about a consignment to the exporting country, which is received in real-time and can also integrate with other systems, such as KenTrade.
The two standards organizations want paperless certifications.
The concept has gained international acceptance, with more than 70 countries adopting it, including EU member states.
Kellow Harsama, Agriculture Principal Secretary in the State Department for Crop Development, stated that digitalization would boost investment attractiveness and innovation for Kenya and the Netherlands.
He claims that the process increases business efficiency and productivity, resource management through process automation, lowers operational costs, improves transparency and communication, and enhances customer experience.
“While we celebrate this milestone, we realise that innovation is a dynamic process. Therefore, we continue to explore more opportunities for innovation so that we can deliver efficient and cost effective service to our stakeholders,” said KEPHIS Managing Director Theophilus Mutui.
Currently, all plant exports must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate (s), which presents difficulties such as documents not arriving with consignments, typographical errors, missing additional declarations, lack of a phytosanitary certificate, and incomplete phytosanitary certificates.
Mutui stated that the system has simplified phytosanitary (plant health) regulation processes, improved user experience, and reduced operational costs.
While inspections will continue, as usual, phytosanitary certificates will be generated digitally, eliminating the need for intermediaries, according to the Netherlands.
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