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3.90. (...) The adoption and implementation of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures are mainly governed by the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act, 2014, and the Food Act, 2014, and their regulations (...) At the institutional level, Seychelles' regulatory authority for both animal and plant health – the National Biosecurity Agency – came into operation in 2016 but was phased out in December 2020 and replaced by the Agriculture Department under the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment.

3.91. (...) the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act, 2014 seeks to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases affecting animals, plants, people, and the environment. (...)

3.93. (...) Agriculture Department is responsible for implementing the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act, 2014 and for preventing the introduction and spread of animal and plant pest and diseases including invasive alien species that could harm human health or the country's biodiversity and agriculture. The Agriculture Department is also in charge for issuing biosecurity permits for the importation of animals, plants, and their products and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) certificates for their exportation. [100] (...)
[100] Under the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act, 2014, biosecurity is broadly defined as the policy and regulatory framework for analysing and managing the risks to animal and plant life and the associated risks to the environment, economy, and public health.

3.96. Moreover, Seychelles maintains a National Biosecurity Committee (NBC) and a National Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Committee, as a sub-committee of the NBC to improve the governance and transparency mechanisms in these areas. (...)

3.97. Under the Animal and Plant Biosecurity Act, 2014 and the Customs Management (Prohibited and Restricted Goods) Regulations, 2019, the importation of plants, animals, and their products, as well as of regulated food products (i.e. eggs, fish and seafood, fruits, vegetables, meat, and spices) requires a biosecurity permit, in addition to an import permit (Section 3.1.5 and Table A3.5). Both the biosecurity and import permits are approved by the Agriculture Department. Once approved, the biosecurity permit is issued by the Agriculture Department, and the import permit is issued by the Trade Department. (...)

3.101. Seychelles requires a permit for the export of genetically modified organisms (Section 3.2.3), but there are no legal provisions regarding its importation.

4.1. (...) Seychelles has limited agricultural land because of its granitic surface and because protected forests cover much of its total land. [1] (...)
[1] It is estimated that Seychelles has a forest area of about 33,700 ha, i.e. 73.3% of the land area. Around half of the forests are within national parks or other conservation areas. (...)

4.2. (...) Most arable land is in remote mountainous areas, which limits access to markets and water supply. The agricultural sector is very vulnerable to climate change and also suffers from bush fires, soil erosion, soil fertility loss, and insufficient financial investment. Moreover, variations in climate patterns (mainly rainfall and temperature) result in important changes in cropping systems affecting productivity and production.

4.13. Seychelles participates in the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). Under the CAADP [20], Seychelles aims to improve traditional farming methods and encourage innovative farming techniques such as hydroponics and vertical farming to maximize land use. (...)
[20] The Seychelles CAADP is based on five pillars: protection and sustainable use of agricultural land and infrastructure; agricultural research, irrigation, and extension; sustainable fisheries development; marketing and trade of agricultural produce; and food and nutrition security.

4.15. The Seychelles National Agriculture Investment Plan (SNAIP) emphasizes the following principles: (...) promoting good land husbandry practices for soil conservation and improving soil fertility as well as climate smart agriculture. (...)