Virtual knowledge sharing workshop on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Compliance with SIPPO South Africa's Business Support Organisation (BSO) partners

SIPPO, in collaboration with the Global Quality and Standards Programme-South Africa (GQSP-SA), both funded by the Swiss Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) together with the Southern African Essential Oils Producer's Association (SAEOPA) welcomed 10 participants from the South African BSO partners offering export promotion services, to a knowledge sharing workshop. This pivotal workshop focused on ABS compliance and Online Permitting System, according to the Nagoya Protocol and the National Environmental Management Diversity Act of South Africa (NEMBA).

During the workshop, SIPPO's partner BSOs were informed about the compliance requirements and the streamlined online permitting application process implemented by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE). This will enable the BSOs to share the knowledge of compliance gained, with their export companies from the biotrade sector, as well as prepare/guide them for potential questions from importers.

This also provided a good networking opportunity for SIPPO's four BSO partners amongst themselves, whilst being informed of the importance of compliance by their exporters with this important legislation requirement.