A policy study on the implementation challenges of phytosanitary standards: The case of ISPM 15 in Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya and Mozambique

The rise in international trade in recent decades has been accompanied by an increase in the movement of wood packaging materials. Recognizing the associated threat of cross-border pest movement, the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures, the governing body of the International Plant Protection Convention, adopted the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) 15 (Guidelines for regulating wood packaging material in international trade) for the treatment of wood packaging materials (ISPM 15). The objective of this paper is to raise awareness on the challenges four sub-Saharan countries -Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya and Mozambique- are facing when it comes to implementation. During extensive fieldwork, we conducted interviews with key stakeholders to understand their role in the set-up and implementation of the standard, as well as their perceptions on relevant challenges. Addressing these challenges is vital for achieving compliance and removing associated institutional and economic barriers. The paper can assist policy-makers and academics to design future policies that tackle implementation problems, especially in the context of developing