FOOD SAFETY, AN EMERGING CULTURE IN AFRICA?

There is hardly a healthy report from the European Union concerning the status of contaminants in agric products exported from African countries . Lack of awareness and economic challenge are some of the risk factors that have opened the window for consumption of unwholesome food and feed . Credit mu8st be given to continental interventions like CAADP, FARA, ASM who have displayed credible passion on the crusade against unsafe food. From Senegal, through Tripoli and Nairobi, to Angola and South Africa, the story of near neglect is similar. Just last year 2020, the EU had to further extend the ban placed on Nigeria concerning her dried beans, this time to 2022. Although workshops and conferences are being held, it is clear that critical gaps and scary holes are still there to be filled.

Safe Food and Feed Foundation appreciates the effort of the organizers of the forthcoming Food safety  Summit  taking place in South Africa from June 8-9,2021 . Being a the second outing by the organizers, the ambition and passion are clear, but expected  beneficial result is the goal, where more and more Africans will now access safe food that will guarantee health and enhance export value.

After the Summit, there must be measured and time bound feed back and follow up. It is only after this is done that it can be separated from other hollow talk-shops !!!!

We call on other African countries to emulate this and make the development a more aggressive continental initiative that must attract the needed  urgency and importance from governments and policy makers

Dele Fapohunda

20 April, 2021