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Bolivia to improve agricultural health and food safety with IDB support

Bolivia will receive a US$10 million loan from the Inter American Development Bank to better control agricultural crops and livestock pests and diseases. The funds will also be used to improve surveillance and certification procedures of foods processed in the country as well as strengthen the administration of the National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety (SENASAG).

 

The financing is part of an ongoing effort by the IDB to help Bolivia improve competitiveness of its agricultural sector, which accounts for 22 percent of the country’s exports and employs two out of five workers.  The program also aims to enhance public health and food safety.

 

The loan, to be disbursed in five years, will improve systems of surveillance, inspection, registration, and certification of food production. In addition, it will improve the country’s animal quarantine system, increase surveillance of animal health and update a program to reduce and eradicate foot and mouth disease. The funds will also be used to improve pest controls and export certification processes of agricultural crops as well as finance the design and implementation of emergency plans for disease affecting crops and livestock.

 

Part of the loan will be used to prepare and implement a human resources policy at SENASAG, the agency in charge of ensuring the maintenance of phytosanitary and zoosanitary conditions and the safety of Bolivian food products. It will also finance the acquisition and implementation of software that will improve day-to-day management of the agency and help formulate and monitor work and procurement plans.

 

Seventy percent of the total loan will be financed by the bank’s ordinary capital and the remaining 30 percent will come from the IDB Fund for Special Operations (FSO).

The Bolivian government will provide counterpart funding of US$1.5 million.

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