We are pleased to announce the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) has become a new associate of the CABI BioProtection Portal. This partnership strengthens our joint efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices and enhance the adoption of bioprotection methods worldwide.
About the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF)
The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) is a global partnership to facilitate safe trade that contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The STDF supports public and private stakeholders in developing countries to improve their food safety, animal and plant health capacity, based on international standards. The partnership connects diverse stakeholders with an interest in improved sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) capacity across agriculture, health, trade and development. It pilots collaborative, innovative approaches, develops good practices, and encourages learning and knowledge exchange to drive catalytic SPS improvements. In doing so, STDF’s work addresses cross-cutting issues including environment, biodiversity and climate change to help foster sustainable and resilient agriculture practices.
STDF and CABI’s continued collaboration
This new partnership builds on long-standing collaboration between STDF and CABI. Over the years, CABI and the STDF have worked together on various initiatives to improve SPS capacity and facilitate trade. This has led to STDF joining the CABI BioProtection Portal, a platform dedicated to increasing awareness and uptake of biological plant protection globally.
This collaboration leverages synergies with STDF-funded regional projects in Southern Africa, Asia, and Latin America that pilot the use of biopesticides alongside conventional products to enhance market access, while also contributing to environmental benefits. Knowledge and resources from the Portal will be integrated into STDF’s regional initiatives, amplifying our efforts to promote sustainable agricultural practices globally.
Enhancing sustainable farming knowledge and awareness
By providing easy access to information and knowledge on bioprotection as a safer and more sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides, the CABI BioProtection Portal offers new tools and alternatives to support STDF project beneficiaries and partners. The Portal’s extensive biological product search tool and educational resources will be utilized to provide access to, and encourage the use of, sustainable farming methods and knowledge of bioprotection products at global, regional, and national levels.
Together, the Portal and STDF can facilitate wider dissemination of valuable information, support capacity-building efforts, and promote sustainable agricultural practices that align with STDF’s programme goal on increased and sustainable SPS capacity in developing countries.
A shared commitment to safe, inclusive trade that protects the environment
STDF joining the CABI BioProtection Portal represents a significant step forward in our shared mission to promote sustainable agriculture, thereby ensuring safe, inclusive trade and development outcomes. Both STDF and the Portal are committed to fostering a resilient agricultural sector through collaborative projects and knowledge sharing. By working together, we can enhance our impact in driving progress towards the UN’s SDGs. This includes contributing to the health and well-being of farmers and consumers (SDG 3) by promoting and providing easier access to safer plant protection products, as well as preventing soil degradation and protecting biodiversity, which contributes to SDG 15.
We are excited about the opportunities this collaboration will bring and look forward to seeing positive outcomes for all stakeholders. We endeavour to work closely with STDF to achieve our shared goals and to ensure the CABI BioProtection Portal continues to be a valuable resource for promoting bioprotection and sustainable agriculture worldwide.
