APEC Project Database

Project Title

Zoning in Animal Health: Sharing Experiences and Best Practices for more and better foods

Project Year

2025

Project Number

PPFS_101_2025A

Project Session

Session 1

Project Type

Standard

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Project No.

PPFS_101_2025A

Project Title

Zoning in Animal Health: Sharing Experiences and Best Practices for more and better foods

Project Status

Project in Implementation

Fund Account

APEC Support Fund

Sub-fund

ASF: General Fund

Project Year

2025

Project Session

Session 1

APEC Funding

125,420

Co-funding Amount

16,400

Total Project Value

141,820

Sponsoring Forum

Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS)

Topics

Food Security; Agriculture; Market Access

Committee

SOM Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation (SCE)

Other Fora Involved

Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group (ATCWG)

Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved

Proposing Economy(ies)

Chile

Co-Sponsoring Economies

Indonesia; Mexico; New Zealand; Peru

Expected Start Date

01/10/2025

Expected Completion Date

31/12/2026

Project Proponent Name 1

Magdalena Ganderats Fuentes

Job Title 1

Geographical Coordinator

Organization 1

Bureau of Agricultural Studies and Policies, Ministry of Agriculture

Telephone 1

+569 6659 7050

Email 1

mganderats@odepa.gob.cl

Project Proponent Name 2

Gabriel Layseca Astudillo

Job Title 2

Chief of International Affairs

Organization 2

Bureau of Agricultural Studies

Telephone 2

+56978456288

Email 2

glayseca@odepa.gob.cl

Declaration

Sebastian Urrestarazu

Project Summary

Zoning systems are a key sanitary tool used by APEC economies to mitigate the impact of animal disease outbreaks, protect animal health, and maintain trade flows. These systems—comprising regulatory frameworks, surveillance, biosecurity, and containment measures—are typically applied in a similar manner across multiple diseases, with minor adjustments based on disease-specific characteristics. Despite their widespread use, there is limited coordination and experience-sharing among APEC economies regarding their design, implementation, and international recognition.

This project will provide a platform for economies to exchange best practices, challenges, and lessons learned in the application of zoning systems. It will document zoning strategies across different diseases, highlighting regulatory models, technical procedures, and practical experiences, taking into consideration World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) international guidance and standards in the discussion.

By fostering regional dialogue and capacity building, the project aims to strengthen the use and recognition of zoning systems as a tool for sanitary control and trade continuity. Ultimately, this will support sustainable livestock farming, food security, and economic resilience in the APEC region.

Relevance

Region

The project addresses the lack of dedicated platforms for APEC economies to share experiences, best practices, and lessons learned on zoning strategies. While several economies have developed their own protocols and models to contain and manage animals disease outbreaks, there are limited opportunities for structured discussions and collaboration. This gap hinders the ability of economies to learn from each other, optimize their approaches, and enhance the effectiveness of their zoning measures. By facilitating knowledge exchange, the project seeks to provide a space where APEC economies can discuss their zoning experiences, identify common challenges, and highlight successful strategies.

This collaboration will help economies refine their zoning models, improve biosecurity coordination, and strengthen regional efforts to contain the spread of animal diseases. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) international guidance and standards will be considered in the discussion.

Through structured engagement, the project will contribute to a better understanding of zoning approaches across the region, ultimately enhancing disease management capacity, supporting trade continuity, and reinforcing biosecurity in animal farming sectors within APEC economies.

Eligibility and Fund Priorities

The concept note for the project aligns closely with the eligibility criteria and specific priorities of the APEC Support Fund (ASF), ensuring its suitability for funding consideration.

Relevance to APEC Goals and ECOTECH Priority Themes:

The project addresses key priorities outlined in the APEC Food Security Roadmap Towards 2030, focusing on enhancing food security, promoting sustainable agriculture, and strengthening resilience against emerging challenges such as the spread of multiple animal diseases by facilitating knowledge exchange. The project contributes to Developing Human Capital and Promoting the Development of Knowledge-Based Economies, equipping stakeholders with best practices in zoning. This directly supports APEC’s efforts to safeguard food supplies, protect livelihoods, and promote economic stability in the region (Safeguarding the Quality of Life Through Environmentally Sound Growth).

Regional Cooperation and Economic Integration:

The project fosters regional cooperation by facilitating technology flows and enhancing economic integration through collaborative zoning strategies. By sharing best practices and regulatory frameworks, it supports SMEs in the livestock sector, ensuring their inclusion in structured, science-based disease control strategies (Developing and Strengthening the Dynamism of SMEs). Additionally, the project aligns with Integration into the Global Economy by promoting regulatory harmonization and trade continuity, reducing barriers caused by animal diseases outbreaks.

Innovation, Capacity Building, and Human Security:

The project emphasizes innovation and capacity building by developing standardized zoning guidelines, enhancing biosecurity measures, and strengthening the resilience of animal farming against future disease threats (Human Security). Through an international workshop, stakeholders gain knowledge, skills, and tools to implement effective zoning strategies, aligning with Facilitating Technology Flows and Harnessing Technologies for the Future.

Impact and Sustainability:

The project delivers tangible, sustainable impacts by promoting long-term food security, food safety, and improved nutrition (Safeguarding the Quality of Life). By facilitating the continued export of animal products, it supports economic growth, trade facilitation, and regional integration within APEC. Additionally, its focus on sustainable agriculture strengthens economic infrastructure and ensures the viability and competitiveness of the animal farming industry.

In summary, the concept note demonstrates strong alignment with APEC’s ECOTECH Priority Themes, reinforcing its potential to advance food security, agricultural sustainability, and regional cooperation while promoting economic stability, human capital development, and SME resilience.

Capacity Building

In accordance with the capacity building goals and principles outlined in Appendix K of the Guidebook, the project includes activities aimed at enhancing the capacity of participants and their institutions to effectively address policy issues related to zoning strategies. These activities encompass:

1) Workshops and Training Sessions: Hosting international workshops and training sessions to provide participants with

comprehensive knowledge and skills related to zoning practices, biosecurity measures, and response protocols. These sessions will include presentations, case studies, and interactive discussions led by experts in the field, allowing participants to learn from best practices and exchange experiences with their counterparts from other APEC economies.

2) Technical Assistance and Mentorship: Providing technical assistance and mentorship to support participants in implementing zoning strategies and enhancing their institutional capacities. These resources will serve as valuable references for participants and their institutions, enabling them to navigate zoning

processes effectively and adhere to best practices in diseases management.

3) Networking and Knowledge Exchange: Facilitating networking opportunities and knowledge exchange platforms where participants can share experiences, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to zoning and biosecurity. These platforms will foster collaboration, promote peer learning, and facilitate the exchange of good practices among participants, contributing to ongoing capacity development efforts in the region.

By implementing these capacity building activities, the project aims to empower participants and their institutions with the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to effectively address policy issues related to zoning strategies. Through enhanced capacities, participants will be better equipped to implement and sustain zoning measures, thereby strengthening biosecurity, protecting agricultural livelihoods, and promoting regional resilience against disease threats.

Objectives

The project aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences among APEC economies on zoning strategies, fostering a better understanding of existing protocols and models. By providing a platform for knowledge-sharing, the initiative seeks to identify best practices, challenges, and lessons learned, ultimately supporting economies in refining their zoning approaches to improve disease containment and regional biosecurity.

Alignment

Beneficiaries and Outputs

Output

1) Research Work

Conduct research using literature review, online questionnaires, structured interviews, and field research with selected APEC economies. Target economies will be chosen based on diversity and relevance. Findings will be incorporated into the draft APEC Reference Guide on Zoning for Animal Health, to be shared during the 2-day Workshop.

2) In-Person Workshop

Organize a 2-day workshop in Santiago, Chile (Q2 2026) with approx. 40 participants and 6 international experts. Sessions will cover training, mentoring/technical assistance, case studies, and knowledge exchange. Deliverables include final agenda, APEC Attendance List, and Post-event Evaluation.

Day 1: Opening remarks by the host economy and APEC Secretariat, followed by keynote presentations from WOAH, FAO, and co-sponsoring economies. Technical sessions will address zoning frameworks, surveillance systems, and international standards, complemented by country case studies and interactive discussions on lessons learned and good practices.

Day 2: Focus on application and collaboration. Participants will engage in practical training and mentoring sessions with experts on zoning design and recognition processes, followed by a policy roundtable to develop joint recommendations for inclusion in the APEC Reference Guide on Zoning for Animal Health.

The two-day format is essential to balance presentations, hands-on training, and policy dialogue, ensuring meaningful capacity building and actionable outcomes.

3) APEC Reference Guide on Zoning for Animal Health

An official APEC Publication (a minimum 25 pages excluding annexes) consolidating research findings, case studies, and key takeaways from the Workshop. Structure includes Executive Summary, Background, Research Results, Case Studies, at least five (5) Core Policy and Technical Recommendations (focused on strengthening institutional coordination, harmonizing regulatory frameworks, improving surveillance and data management, promoting international recognition of zoning systems, and enhancing regional cooperation and capacity building), Conclusions, and Annexes. Target audience: policymakers, SPS officials, and stakeholders.

Outcome

Government officials and experts from APEC economies will strengthen their technical capacities to design and apply zoning procedures in the livestock sector, including biosecurity protocols and containment strategies aligned with international standards.

APEC economies will gain access to a practical tool that supports institutional capacity-building and policy development on zoning, enabling them to improve preparedness and harmonize their approaches in line with WOAH guidelines.

APEC member economies will benefit from policy recommendations and strategic insights that foster regional cooperation, promote trade continuity, and enhance coordinated responses to transboundary animal disease threats.

Beneficiaries

The primary beneficiaries of this project are government officials and technical staff from ministries of agriculture, livestock, or veterinary services in APEC economies, particularly those involved in animal health regulation and zoning. These individuals, often in mid- to senior-level positions, will strengthen their technical and policy capacity through participation in the workshop and use of the project’s outputs.

Representatives of producer associations, MSMEs, and farmer cooperatives engaged in animal production systems will also directly benefit by accessing practical guidance on zoning and biosecurity.

Regional and international organizations—such as WOAH, FAO—and academic institutions will benefit as contributors and disseminators of knowledge. They will support technical alignment and promote regional cooperation.

Long-term beneficiaries include livestock producers, agri-food exporters, and border inspection authorities, who will benefit from improved disease prevention, trade continuity, and food security. Special emphasis will be placed on women-led MSMEs, rural women, and local communities to ensure inclusive participation and impact.

Participants will be selected based on relevance to zoning, technical expertise, geographic diversity, and capacity to apply projectoutputs. Invitations and participant profiles will be circulated eight weeks before the workshop. The engagement strategy —offering both in-person and virtual participation—aims to ensure broad, diverse, and effective use of the project’s results across the APEC region.

Dissemination

All project outputs – including the APEC Reference Guide on zoning for Animal Health and the Final Report on zoning Implementation and Regional Cooperation – will be submitted as official APEC Publications and made available in electronic format through the APEC website. Both documents will be prepared in English and formatted according to APEC publication guidelines. They will include practical recommendations, technical insights, and lessons learned on zoning procedures, biosecurity, and regional coordination mechanisms.

The outputs will be disseminated via multiple channels, including the communication platforms of the Agricultural Technical Cooperation WorkingGroup (ATCWG) and other relevant APEC fora. Digital copies will also be shared directly with all participating economies, relevant government agencies, veterinary services, industry stakeholders, and workshop participants.

The host economy (Chile) will ensure national dissemination through its ministries, sanitary and veterinary services, and producer associations. Co-sponsoring economies will be invited to share the outputs through their own institutional networks to maximize reach across the region.

The target audiences for these publications include government officials and veterinary authorities responsible for animal health and trade, academic institutions, international organizations, and private-sector actors involved in livestock production, export certification, and disease control.

Project outcomes may be presented in future APEC meetings addressing SPS measures, food security, and trade resilience, and could serve as a basis for further technical cooperation under ATCWG, PPFS, or SCSC.

All materials will be made publicly available for non-commercial, educational, and policy-development purposes. There is no intention to sell any output arising from this project. While the event will not be recorded for publication, internal recordings may be used for note-taking and to support the accurate drafting of the final report.

Gender

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Work Plan

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Risks

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Linkages

The project will engage various stakeholders to ensure comprehensive inputand broad dissemination of outcomes. Key stakeholders and their roles include:

1) PPFS and ATCWG Oversight and Dissemination: The Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS) and the Agricultural Technical Cooperation Working Group (ATCWG) will oversee the project and disseminate information about the workshops and outcomes to APEC member economies.

2) APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and SMEWG:

Private Sector Engagement: The APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group (SMEWG) will promote private sector participation, particularly engaging MSMEs and industry stakeholders involved in animal production systems

3) Project Outcomes Submission:

Policy Support and Development: The outcomes of the project will be submitted to PPFS, ATCWG, and SMEWG for consideration and policy support to enhance Zoning and ensure sustainable animal product exports in the APEC region.

4) Invited Organizations:

Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration: The project will invite representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE), and ASEAN to attend the workshops and share their experiences and knowledge. This will promote cross-fora collaboration and integrate diverse perspectives.

5) Cross-Fora Collaboration:

Collaborative Efforts: By involving PPFS, ATCWG, ABAC, SMEWG, and other relevant APEC fora, the project will foster cross-fora collaboration. This ensures that insights and best practices are shared across different sectors and working groups, promoting a holistic approach to Zoning.

By engaging these stakeholders and promoting cross-fora collaboration, the project aims to leverage the strengths and expertise of various groups to achieve its objectives effectively.

Sustainability

The project is designed to generate long-lasting impact beyond the conclusion of APEC funding. By delivering practical and adaptable outputs—including the APEC Reference Guide on Zoning for Animal Health and a comprehensive Final Report on Zoning Implementation and Regional Cooperation—participating economies will gain concrete tools that can be integrated into their national frameworks for animal health and biosecurity.

Government institutions and technical agencies will be encouraged to adopt the guide and recommendations into existing regulations, standard operating procedures, training curricula, and contingency planning mechanisms. To support this, all outputs will remain available on APEC digital platforms and may be featured in future activities of the Agricultural TechnicalCooperation Working Group (ATCWG),the Policy Partnership on Food Security (PPFS), or other relevant APEC fora.

The project will also strengthen networks of technical experts and authorities, encouraging future dialogue and collaboration. Follow-up actions may include the development of pilot projects, bilateral technical assistance, or proposals focused on regional harmonization of zoning criteria and capacity building for emergency response.

To ensure these next steps take place, the project will: (I) Include a Roadmap for Future Action as part of the final deliverables. (II) Invite participating economies to report voluntary updates during future ATCWG meetings. (III) Encourage use of the guide as a reference point for future APEC initiatives on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, trade continuity, and food security.

Progress on the outcomes—such as improved institutional capacity, alignment with international standards, and enhanced regional cooperation—will be assessed through: (I) Post-workshop surveys and feedback forms. (II) Voluntary self-reporting by economies on adoption or adaptation of the zoning guide. (III) Monitoring of project references in subsequent APEC proposals or regional planning documents.

By embedding tools within institutional workflows and leveraging APEC cooperation mechanisms, the project aims to maintain relevance and utility well beyond its funding period.

Direct Labour

Please see Project Proposal in Supporting Documents folder.

Are there any supporting document attached?

Yes

Project No.
Project Title
Project Status
Fund Account
Sub-fund
Project Year
Project Session
APEC Funding
Co-funding Amount
Total Project Value
Sponsoring Forum
Topics
Committee
Other Fora Involved
Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved
Proposing Economy(ies)
Co-Sponsoring Economies
Expected Start Date
Expected Completion Date
Project Proponent Name 1
Job Title 1
Organization 1
Telephone 1
Email 1
Project Proponent Name 2
Job Title 2
Organization 2
Telephone 2
Email 2
Declaration
Project Summary
Relevance
Objectives
Alignment
Beneficiaries and Outputs
Dissemination
Gender
Work Plan
Risks
Monitoring and Evaluation
Linkages
Sustainability
Direct Labour
Are there any supporting document attached?
hdFldAdmin
Project Number
Previous Fora
Secretariat Comments
Reprogramming Notes
Consolidated QAF
Endorsement By Fora
PD Sign Off
Batch
Forum Priority
Committee Ranking Category
Committee Priority
PDM Priority
Priority Within Funding Category
Monitoring Report Received
Completion Report Received
PMU Field 1
PMU Field 2
PMU Field 3
On Behalf Of
Proposal Status
Originating Sub-Forum
Approval Status
Attachments

Content Type: Standard Proposal