VANILECO Participation in Training in South Africa

Vanileco, together with two other companies from Madagascar, had the honor to be invited to the Capacity-Building Workshop for SADC Youth Agripreneurs on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures, held from 11–15 August 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Our company was proudly represented by Bertino Razafitsalama, who actively engaged in the discussions and shared insights about Vanileco’s work and Madagascar’s vanilla sector.

The event was organized by the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa (CCARDESA), in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.

Participants explored key topics such as:

• Food safety, plant and animal health under the WTO SPS Agreement;

• The importance of SPS compliance for trade and livelihoods;

• Risk management, pesticide use, and disease control;

• Traceability, digital platforms, and innovations in SPS systems;

• Regional harmonization and knowledge exchange within SADC.

  
  

The program also included field visits to the ZZ2 farm in Limpopo Province and OR Tambo International Airport, providing first-hand insight into SPS-compliant production, inspection, and certification procedures.

We sincerely thank the organizers for the invitation and the opportunity to both share our experience and learn from fellow agripreneurs across the region. This event was highly informative and further strengthened our commitment to contributing to a safe, sustainable, and competitive future for Africa’s agricultural trade.