KAMPALA – The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB), launched a four-year project aimed at enhancing food safety standards in the East African region. The project, which will be implemented in Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, seeks to improve the capacity of national food safety authorities, promote food safety protocols, and harmonize standards across the region.
According to Farayi Zamudzi, FAO subregional coordinator for East Africa, food safety is a critical issue that affects not only human health but also trade and economic development.
“Food safety is a fundamental issue because unsafe products pose health risks and are ineligible for export,” she said.
“The idea is to strengthen national systems for food safety, and we are focusing on this because food safety has a strong impact on trade and human health.”
The project aims to address the challenges of unsafe food production, which affects the entire value chain of agricultural commodities. It will provide technical support to regulatory institutions, laboratories, and other stakeholders to ensure the production, distribution, and sale of safe food commodities.
Food safety is a significant public health concern in Africa, with foodborne diseases causing 137,000 deaths and 91 million illnesses annually. The project seeks to address this issue by promoting food safety protocols and harmonizing standards across the region.
In Uganda, for example, over 90 trucks carrying maize flour and other products were impounded by the South Sudan Bureau of Standards last year for carrying aflatoxin-affected maize flour, which is not fit for human consumption. The incident highlighted the need for improved food safety standards in the region.
The Commissioner of Animal Health in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, said the project will promote the export of agricultural products by establishing standard protocols for managing food safety.
“We will have harmonized protocols so that if something is tested in Uganda, it can be exported to Tanzania without being retested,” she said.
The project is a testament to the commitment of the FAO and the government of Uganda to implementing Uganda’s food systems pathway. It marks a significant step towards actualizing the game changers identified through the food systems strategic analysis and the strategic goals of the National Development Plan.
“The project will significantly support our ongoing efforts to establish the Food and Agricultural Regulatory Authority,” said Dr. Patience Rwamigisa, Assistant Commissioner for Agricultural Extension Coordination at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries.
“It will also enhance productivity, local processing, and market competitiveness, and contribute to the reduction of foodborne diseases and trade barriers.”
