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Conferences/Workshops

Interim workshop, New Delhi, 26-27 March, 2003
Project launching workshop, Bangkok, 1-2 October 2002
Project launching workshop, New Delhi, June 2002

Interim workshop, New Delhi, 26-27 March, 2003

Details of this workshop can be found at the RIS website: http://www.ris.org.in/

Media reports:

Media Commentaries on the New Delhi Conference

Project launching workshop, Bangkok, 1-2 October 2002

A planning workshop was held on 1-3 October 2002 in Bangkok to launch the project. The workshop was hosted by Thammasat University, whose Rector, Dr Naris Chaiyasoot opened the workshop with a welcome address. In addition to the project research team participants included government officials and private sector groups, Dr Donna Brennan (REAP Research Pty Ltd), Dr Ray Trewin (ACIAR), Professor Peter Warr (Austalian National University) and Professor Donald MacLaren (University of Melbourne).

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Project launching workshop, New Delhi, June 2002

A launching workshop was successfully concluded on 29 June 2002 at the Research and Information System for the Non-Aligned and Other Developing Countries (RIS) Conference Room, New Delhi. About 30 Indian participants representing food processing industry, government officials, quality inspection authorities and discerning researchers meaningfully deliberated to express myriad concerns with respect to international food safety standards.

The discussion was initiated on SPS measures with identification of key issues. The demand-supply underpinnings for exploring the research agenda was emphasised too. The legislative and adjudicative role inherent in the SPS agreement was succinctly brought out. These were illustrated with narration of live cases pertaining to "equivalence", "harmonisation" and "transparency" in the certification process. Taking a specific industry of poultry, a strong case for documentation was made out. However, it was opined that inspite of excellent documentation wide gaps between practice and perception exist in developed countries. SPS is definitely being used as a big barrier and one need to understand the dilatory strategies if proactivism in the export is to be attained. Some primary concerns in the broad category of cost-benefit of compliance and backward linkages of SPS measures were highlighted. It was suggested that the standard setting "game" is a no-win situation for developing countries per se.

The final outcome was a focussed agenda for the research study in broadly 3-4 areas. These are, to start with, in the institutional framework that handles the adjudicative and legislative functions. Empiricism on cost-benefit of compliance to international standards, ipso facto leads one to industry specific studies. The other area is that of backward linkages where cost competitive producer with sufficient market linkages would form the core of research investigation. And finally the dispersed nature of food production system in India depicts a different agricultural and allied sector landscape. And therefore the competitive areas of Indian food exports with and without shifting SPS norms formed a core area of study.