Context
The PROMOVE Comércio Project – Creating Competitiveness for Exports has a two-pronged approach to strengthening the Quality Infrastructure System in Mozambique, focusing on:
- Quality infrastructure as a system – it works as a whole, all its components / institutions need to work together to function properly. The whole system is only as strong as the weakest element of the whole.
- Priority value chains – The Project focuses on the Quality Infrastructure needs of the private sector. The aim is for the relevant Quality Infrastructure institutions to become service providers for the private sector, with a particular focus on supporting important value chains in the agro-products and fisheries and aquaculture sectors. However, the services to be developed will also benefit other sectors.
By promoting priority value chains in Mozambique, UNIDO is pursuing three development objectives that can benefit all the actors in the chain:
- Increased productivity and added value;
- Improved employment opportunities;
- and Improved market access and higher export levels.
UNIDO's approach to strengthening the Quality Infrastructure
For SMEs to be competitive in international markets, it is important to ensure that they:
- Have the technical capacity to produce innovative, quality products,
- Comply with international market regulations and standards,
- Promote their products and connect with potential markets. For them to achieve the above, access to the services offered by the Quality Infrastructure, business development services, financing, sector coordination and dialogue between public and private stakeholders is fundamental.
Thus, for 40 years, UNIDO has been supporting partner countries to increase their competitiveness through stronger Quality Infrastructure systems and compliance with standards. UNIDO’s approach to trade development for developing countries has evolved into a holistic and systematic approach, comprising five components: governance, Quality Infrastructure institutions, quality infrastructure services, enterprises/SMEs and consumers.
UNIDO's systemic approach to promoting standards and quality
Strengthening quality infrastructure services at national level is essential for SMEs to comply with demanding standards, technical regulations and market requirements in order to connect and compete in the global market. It helps to increase consumer confidence in the safety and quality of products, including respect for the environment. In addition, having policies in place to promote a quality culture is crucial to ensure an environment where SMEs, institutions and consumers consistently follow and apply quality guidelines and promote quality-focused actions. The value-added impact of complying with standards includes increased market access, faster goods crossing borders, acceptance of conformity assessment certificates on both sides of borders, reduced rejections of goods, and reduced business costs for the private sector, thus making SMEs and businesses in general more competitive and sustainable.
Introduction to the results of the project related to strengthening the Quality Infrastructure in Mozambique
Outcome 1: Good governance and Quality Infrastructure services at institutional level (INNOQ) updated to ensure international recognition
This result addresses the important aspect of strengthening the central Quality Infrastructure institution in Mozambique – which is the National Institute for Standardization and Quality (INNOQ). A robust, strong and service-oriented INNOQ is a key element of the business environment, enabling the Mozambican private sector to benefit from market opportunities (whether regional or international). This is being achieved by; promoting good governance of Quality Infrastructure – facilitating the implementation of the updated National Quality Policy and updating the regulatory framework (with a particular focus on priority value chains); by strengthening INNOQ’s expertise for the development and adoption of national industry-oriented standards. Finally, INNOQ needs to establish itself as a demand-driven provider of Quality Infrastructure services to the public and private sectors. The main areas of focus for technical assistance under this outcome are:
- Supporting the implementation of the National Quality Policy (NQP) and updating the regulatory framework:
The project focuses on supporting the implementation and dissemination of the National Quality Policy. A demand-driven and well-implemented quality policy is the basis for the long-term sustainability of the Quality Infrastructure System in Mozambique and therefore also of the Project’s results. The Project also assesses regulatory gaps and provides necessary legal assistance on regulatory best practices and technical assistance to ensure that technical regulations (TR) related to the selected priority value chains are revised and/or developed.
- INNOQ standardization capacity enhanced:
Support for INNOQ in the area of standardization involves training INNOQ staff in Good Standardization Practices (for example, so that the needs of the private sector are well represented and considered), through the establishment of Technical Committees in selected Value Chains and the adoption of international and/or regional standards in priority value chains. The adoption of codes of practice and self-assessment tools will be developed and disseminated for products in priority value chains. Promoting the importance of standards needs, in particular with a focus on value chains of interest for greater competitiveness and market access. Ensuring the participation of INNOQ staff in international / regional standardization activities will contribute to keeping stakeholders informed about cutting-edge solutions and will ensure that they become active participants in the international standardization community.
Sustainability of INNOQ’s operations increased (including the creation of the training unit)
Technical assistance on the business strategy and, in particular, a marketing strategy and plan will aim to increase awareness of INNOQ and quality services in general, but also to increase INNOQ’s revenues by attracting new customers. A special focus and extra effort will be devoted to promoting INNOQ’s services (e.g. certification, calibration and trainings) in the provinces.
The combination of the two aforementioned initiatives will contribute to improving INNOQ’s sustainability and enable the institute to become a service provider to the private sector for cutting-edge services in the area of Quality.
Outcome 2: Increasing the technical skills of conformity assessment service providers and ensuring international recognition in line with the needs of the selected value chains, with an emphasis on the provinces of Nampula, Zambézia and Maputo.
Achieving a certain quality required by international and regional markets leads to the associated challenge of proving compliance with these requirements (related to technical regulations, norms and voluntary and sustainability standards) in an internationally recognized manner. In order to meet this challenge, Mozambique must establish efficient certification, testing and calibration mechanisms that enjoy international recognition. The main areas of focus for technical assistance on this outcome are:
- INNOQ’s certification capacity strengthened with a particular focus on selected value chains:
The INNOQ certification department will be strengthened with the aim of addressing the deficiencies in the provision of quality services identified for the selected value chains (including, for example, food safety management systems and product certification). The Project will provide necessary support to upgrade INNOQ certification services to prepare them for internationally recognized accreditation according to ISO/IEC 7021 and ISO/IEC 17065 requirements.
- Strengthening of the legal metrology unit and the offer of calibration services by INNOQ:
Strengthening the legal metrology unit and the calibration services offered by INNOQ:
In the area of metrology (legal and industrial), support will be provided to strengthen both technical and managerial capacities, with a view to expanding or new ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation scopes relevant to the private sector. Assistance includes consultancy services (training), provision of equipment, services (e.g. calibration, proficiency testing) and technical training.
- Increasing the testing capacity of laboratories with a particular focus on the priority value chain and the provinces of Nampula, Zambézia and Maputo:
The ability of local testing laboratories to provide internationally recognized (accredited) test results can reduce the cost of testing, the time and complexity required to obtain the results and this will improve the competitive position of producers in the selected value chains. To ensure this, the Project will strengthen the capacity of selected laboratories in Maputo, Zambézia and Nampula, both on the technical and administrative side. The laboratories will be prepared for ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for the tests that are essential for the agro-products and fisheries and aquaculture sectors, including training, technical assistance for the preparation of documentation, specialized assistance for method validation and measurement uncertainty, quality control and quality assurance, equipment procurement, proficiency testing.