Overcoming food safety challenges in the informal sector

19 July 2024

A high-level webinar commemorating the 2024 World Food Safety Day on 7 June, themed "Prepare for the unexpected," was convened by AUDA-NEPAD and PACA of the African Union and co-hosted by two EU HORIZON projects-Food Safety for Africa (FS4Africa) Project (led by IITA) and EU-AU Partnership for Resilient, Inclusive and Safe food systems for Everyone (UP-RISE) Project (led by the University of Ghent). This webinar titled "Bridging gaps in the informal sector" was held virtually on 27 June, attracting over 120 registered participants globally.

In his welcome remarks, an Active Senior of the EU-African Union Food Systems R&I, European Commission, Hans-Joerg Lutzeyer, spoke about the importance of the EU-AU partnership and elaborated on the EU Commission's policy framework aimed at supporting these efforts. He lauded the contributions of the two EU projects to improving food safety in the African informal sector.

The AU Commission Head of Rural Development and Acting Head of Agriculture and Food Security, Janet Edeme, represented by Amare Ayalew, delivered a message emphasizing the importance of food safety. She celebrated the launch of the FS4Africa Knowledge Platform, commended the support of the FS4Africa and UP-RISE projects, and expressed anticipation for the ideas generated from this webinar. The Director of Agriculture, Food Security, and Environmental Sustainability, AUDANEPAD, Estherine Lisinge-Fotabong, highlighted the impact of food safety on health, livelihoods, and income. She shared insights on the initiatives of the African Union in prioritizing food safety in Africa, including establishing policy frameworks towards achieving food safety in Africa.

The Project Coordinators of the two EU HORIZON projects provided overviews of the projects in their presentations. Titilayo Falade of the FS4Africa Project and Sarah De Saeger of the UP-RISE project outlined the visions and strategies of their projects. They emphasized the important role of the informal sector in food security and encouraged participants to connect and learn more about food safety via their project websites. Food safety issues addressed in their projects include mycotoxins (UP-RISE and FS4Africa), pesticide residues, heavy metals, food adulteration, and microbial contamination (FS4Africa). Capacity development, mentoring, and evidence generation for policy are some strategies that will be used within the projects.

In speaking about food safety in the informal sector, the representative from the Chief Scientist Office of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Rumbidzai Changwa, discussed the pivotal role of EFSA in ensuring food safety across Europe, encompassing a broad range of responsibilities, including risk assessment, scientific cooperation, and risk communication.

Additionally, the Professor of Food Safety Systems, Natural Resources Institute, Joint Appointed Scientist ILRI, Delia Grace Randolph, analyzed food safety in the informal sector. She shared the concept of the traditional food market, exploring the dynamics vital for food security but often lacking adequate safety protocols. Randolph introduced the "three-legged stool" approach to food safety, which comprises an enabling environment, motivation, training, and technology.

The SPS Advisor of the African Union Commission, Chiluba Mwape, presented on strengthening African food safety standards. He outlined the continental policy framework and the role of various stakeholders, some of which include participating in national standards and regulation formulations, complying with food safety standards and technical regulations, and enhancing the contribution of the private sector in the international food standards-setting process. The CEO of Food Systems Transformation Solutions, Fadel Ndiame, moderated these sessions.

In a panel discussion moderated by the CSO Coordinator of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), Chris Muyunda, actors from the informal and formal sectors were featured. Important points were discussed, with cogent messages extracted from different contributors. Shahat Selim of Kenya Dairy Farmers Holdings stated that "food safety costs money;" therefore, investment in food safety is important. The Director of Standards and SPS Measures of Trademark Africa, Andrew Edewa, highlighted the "need to implement standards and regulations and to conduct broader risk assessment." Similarly, the chairman of the Akinyele Local Government Farmers Association, Salami Ayoola, emphasized the need to establish warehouses in open markets for food crops, ensuring security and price control. The Chairman of the Coopetition Forum for Aflatoxin Reduced Agricultural Produce (CFARAP), MD of AHALSON Nig Ltd, Nigeria, Ali Ahmed Alli, also encouraged adequate training for farmers on the management of hazards through the application of technologies for mycotoxin and pest control. He further mentioned the need for farmers to access industrial cleaning machines and reliable electrical power to maintain food safety standards and increase consumer education on food safety. Kenya Dairy Board member Winnie Kemboi mentioned that access to testing facilities suited to the informal sector and training in good handling practices is necessary.

A major highlight to conclude the meeting was the beta launch of the FS4Africa Knowledge Platform facilitated by Fabiola Rezende of Ubuntoo. She provided a virtual tour of the platform showing the three main vertical tools: Discover-to give users quick and effective access to a wide range of pertinent information, serving as a pathway to discovering new insights and resources; Learn-to provide a wide range of educational resources to meet different skill levels and areas of interest; and the Ubuntoo AI-to revolutionize the user experience by delivering personalized insights and recommendations.

In addition to these core tools, Fabiola highlighted several other exciting platform features that promise to enhance user engagement and knowledge sharing. These features create a seamless and enriching user experience, fostering a collaborative and informed community.

To conclude, Amare Ayalew presented the call to action. It summarizes the insights from the webinar and calls for a collective effort from all sectors to utilize the FS4A Knowledge platforms to enhance knowledge of food safety, increase awareness of food safety, and promote innovative solutions.

Contributed by Iremide Olasope and Titilayo Falade

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