DOREEN NAWA
Lusaka
AFRICAN Union (AU) has urged all member states to ensure that the enhancement of food safety information and knowledge management systems is prioritised.
Speaking in Livingstone at the Continental Stakeholder Dialogue Meeting on the 4th Biannual Review (BR) Results and Orientation for Action yesterday, programme manager for the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) Amare Ayalew said facilitating effective data generation, analysis and knowledge exchange is vital in supporting risk assessment and decision-making, and informs food safety policy formulation and harmonisation at national, regional and continental level.
Dr Ayalew said this will in turn conversely boost interAfrican trade within the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), as well as to improve food security and ensure consumption of safe food for better health of all citizens on the continent.
He said there is urgent need for African governments to play a role in protecting consumers from unsafe food.
Dr Ayalew said governments on the continent should identify common shortcomings in the national food safety systems and use this as a starting point to address any lack in their national food safety policy.
“The lack of clarity around the regulations and standards; the fragmentation of institutional responsibilities for market surveillance and inspections; the gaps in laboratory capacity and systems for tracking foodborne pathogens; lack of effective consumer and industry engagement on food safety; and the absence of import controls are among the many challenges we need to address in order to increase trade and food safety,” Dr Ayalew said.
He said food safety has become an important precondition to export markets, and if not addressed proactively can be an impediment to the AfCFTA, particularly in boosting trade of agriculture goods and services.
He said there is need to establish data generation systems that are evidence-based,to significantly improve food safety management on the continent.
Dr Ayalew said with the capacity to produce food, the continent cannot afford to still experience contaminated foods.
He said contaminated foods impede the food security efforts and maintain the unacceptable status quo of food insecurity, hunger, malnutrition and other health-related problems, thus making poverty eradication and economic development a challenge…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
