Projects and events focus on food safety in Africa
The groups involved are the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the International Finance Corporation.
FAO has initiated an assessment and improvement of the Seychelles food control system. FAO’s team of food safety experts works with local authorities and other stakeholders responsible for safe food to assess the effectiveness of national control systems covering supply chains, including production, distribution, retail and consumers. Evaluate.
This project is part of the African Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Policy Framework developed by the African Union to facilitate trade between member countries. The final product will be a set of recommendations and an implementation framework.
The €5 million ($5.3 million) two-year project, funded by the European Union, aims to improve food safety and plant safety in 12 African countries of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) region. Strengthen quarantine management.
trade projects and workshops
Another project funded by the African Development Bank and implemented by FAO will improve food safety standards for small and medium-sized processors in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal to better participate in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). It is intended to .
This €1 million ($1.1 million) three-year project aims to improve the competitiveness of women- and youth-owned businesses in regional cross-border trade. It includes training and helps remove unnecessary trade barriers by promoting harmonization.
Blaise Ouattara, Food Safety and Quality Officer, FAO Regional Office for Africa and Principal Technical Officer of the project, said: How food is handled and traded in the area. ”
Another workshop in August brought together experts to talk about safe food trade in East Africa.
Organized by the FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa and the Northern Corridor Transport Coordinating Office, the event strengthened countries’ capacity to comply with food safety and animal and plant health standards.
Participants heard that the cost of complying with some standards can be high, but the cost of non-compliance is usually higher as unsafe food further restricts market access. Become.
Recommendations for producers were awareness campaigns and training for farmers on inputs, good agricultural practices (GAP), food safety and quality control systems, regulations and procedures. Helping the private sector to comply with safety standards, improving security and transport infrastructure in rural areas, and strengthening customs clearance processes at borders were also mentioned.
Another development is that Senegal’s Ministry of Health is leading a health food market project with WHO support.
A survey of 69 national markets revealed deficiencies ranging from lack of stall zoning leading to product mix and cross-contamination risks. Poor or non-maintained toilets with lack of running water. For selling food on open stalls or on the floor. Lack of water points, lack of regular waste removal services, and lack of refrigeration facilities were found.
The pilot phase of the Grand Dakar market will improve facilities and equipment and encourage adherence to basic food hygiene rules to prevent foodborne illness. The plan is to extend the intervention to markets across the country.
“From now on, we have to wear aprons, get medical certificates, and have a trash can for each vendor. We have been working to raise awareness among our users,” said Mame Diarra Faye Leye, focal point of the International Food Safety Authority Network (INFOSAN).
IFC and IAEA Efforts
IFC partners with the Angola Agriculture Association (AAPA) to expand food safety, certification and training in the country.
Training on production standards and certification is provided to over 100 members of AAPA, a trade association of large agribusiness companies and rural cooperatives. This helps Angolan producers increase their productivity and meet export standards.
IFC has also partnered with Turiago Farms, the second largest banana plantation in Angola, and Fazenda Maxi, a leading fruit and vegetable retailer.
Earlier this year, the IAEA, FAO and the South African National Metrology Institute organized a five-day African Food Safety Workshop.
Nearly 300 experts and researchers from 43 countries discuss topics such as food fraud prevention, the use of radioreceptor assays, veterinary drugs and pesticide residues, mycotoxins, toxic metals and biotoxin stable isotope technology. shared their experience with Discussions also covered responding to foodborne illnesses and outbreaks, setting maximum residue limits, and implementing effective food surveillance and surveillance programs.
The participants agreed that there is a need to raise food safety awareness among the local population and talked about how to collect scientifically reliable data on food hazard levels.
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