INCREASING FOOD PRICES HINDERS FOOD SAFETY CAMPAIGNS IN NIGERIA

The rising cost of food items like rice and other grains, tubers and spices as well as cooking oils has worsened the plight the food safety crusaders as it is now an additional stressor in their objective of encouraging the consumption of only wholesome food items

Food safety NGOs rely on  a fair presence of options from which people can choose the good and reject the bad for consumption. Unfortunately, the cost of food items has so increased such that even the bad food may become  an option for consumption. The only affordable items for most  poverty-stricken societal layer are the unwholesome and must-be-rejected foods

This situation compounds the plight of the civil society players who now find it difficult to convince the people of the dangers of contaminated food and feed items.

Recently a seminar participant on food security explained that she found it impossible to discard visibly compromised grains on the alter of safety, when a better option is not reachable

The UN may have to assist by releasing measures that will alleviate the impact of COVID-19 as well as banditry and kidnappings which have succeeded in sending farmers away from the farms

Also the Federal government is invited to release a substantial portion of the Strategic Grains Reserves and activate other statutory remedial institutions. The fear of possible avoidable morbidities and mortalities is here. Everyone must be involved and participate actively. But it is the governments that should bell the cat through security provision

 

 

 

Dele Fapohunda

Oct 2021

FOOD SOVEREIGNTY IN NORTH AFRICA, AN UPDATE

The Food Sovereignty profile in North Africa is captured by a 30- page write up by 2 brilliant writers who focus on way forward to achieving self sufficiency not minding the negative impact of COVID-19

It  is found on

www.tni.org/files/publications

 

Happy reading

 

 

 

 

Towards a Just Recovery from the Covid-19 Crisis: The urgent struggle for food sovereignty in North Africa

Authors


Ali Amouzai is an activist and researcher from Morocco. He is a member of Almounadil-a
movement (a revolutionary socialist labour movement) and an activist within the February
20 Movement. He has written research papers for a number of networks, including ATTAC-
Morocco and the North African Network for Food Sovereignty.


Sylvia Kay is a political scientist. She joined TNI in 2011 as a researcher working on issues
around land tenure, natural resource governance, and food systems. She has written various
studies and policy briefs for TNI on land and water grabbing, the role of public policy in rural
development, and different models of agricultural investment.

 

Dele Fapohunda

Oct 2021

FARA HOSTS COMMUNITY of PRACTICE ON FORGOTTEN AND UNDERUTILIZED FOODS IN AFRICA

A Community of Practice has been put in place by FARA to look into the ways to bring on board once again, Foods in Africa that are categorized as FORGOTTEN and UNDERUTILIZED. The inaugural meeting was held by ZOOM for 2 hours on Monday 16 August,  2021. It was declared open by Dr Yemi Akinbamijo, the Executive Director of Ghana-based FARA. The meeting has attendance from many African and other countries . Issues raised include  the need to identify the forgotten foods and know why they were forgotten in the first place. It also delved on the need to activate intervention to make sure the issue is reversed in light of the nutritional and medicinal values inherent in most of them. There was no need to experience malnutrition in Africa with an array of available food choices all promising good health and possibly export. It was moderated by Dr Wole Fatunmbi

 

For more resources, you cament of Africa Manifesto and Plan of Action on …

https://summitdialogues.org › dialogue
2 Jun 2021 — The GFAR-led global effort on forgotten foods is initially aimed at … of the Africa Community of Practice on forgotten foods which will …

Keeping farmers at the forefront: Future of Forgotten foods

https://www.gfar.net › news › keeping-farmers-forefron…
23 Mar 2021 — They provide healthy foods for local communities which underpin their traditional practices. They afford them resilience to changing weather …

Work on a ‘forgotten foods’ manifesto begins in Africa – ICRISAT

https://www.icrisat.org › work-on-a-forgotten-foods-ma…
11 Jun 2021 — This manifesto on forgotten and underutilized foods will shape a global … practices as well as processing to generate new products.

Forgotten Foods: Africa’s Safety Net | CCARDESA

https://www.ccardesa.org › forgotten-foods-africa’s-saf…
26 May 2021 — FARA will thereafter, facilitate the creation and operationalization of the Africa Community of Practice on forgotten foods that will …
Dele Fapohunda
25 August, 2021

Nigeria=Voices Rise against UPOV91 Based Plant Variety Protection Law

On the 23rd of August 2021, a civil society organization, HOMEF together with 101 others released their voices against the UPO91-based Plant Variety Protection Law. This law was earlier rejected by similar organizations in Ghana. With this recent rejection, its clear  more African countries will soon come on board. The rejection was based on issues like subsuming small holders’ rights under the breeders’. It is more annoying when the law did not recognize  the need for public consultation and stakeholder input before put it in place. For more on this, please read on….as prepared by HOMEF

23 August 2021
The Secretary General
The International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV)
Genève 20, SwitzerlandDear Mr. Daren TangPetition: Nigerians Reject the UPOV-91 Based Plant Variety Protection Law

The undersigned coalition of farmers, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), researchers, youth and women groups representing millions of Nigerians and Africans have denounced the adoption of an UPOV91 based Plant Variety Protection (PVP)law in Nigeria. They demand that Nigeria withdraws the law and adopt a sui generis law based on the peculiar agriculture system in the country.

The provisions of the Act at section 43(2) contravenes the Constitution of Nigeria and its validity is already challenged in the law court. The Registered Trustees of Health of Mother Earth Foundation supported by over 50 organisations filed a lawsuit challenging the undemocratic process and the inconsistency of the UPOV based PBR law with the Nigerian constitution and have sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development  by themselves, their agents, servants, workmen or otherwise whatsoever from carrying out any activity or further activity pursuant to section 43(2) of the Plant Variety Protection Act 2021. The lawsuit seeks a declaration that section 43(2) of the Plant Variety Protection Act 2021 is illegal, invalid, null and void and contrary to the letters and spirit of Sections 6 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2011).
We believe that the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) Bill which was signed into law by the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari on 25 May 2021 and which allows Nigeria join the International Union for the Protection of New Plant Varieties (UPOV-91) fails to take into account the particular seed and agricultural context of the country.
The law creates an environment where Intellectual Property Rights override farmers’ rights and commercial seed trumps farmers and indigenous seed systems; marginalizes farmers and not only breaches fundamental principles of international law, but also constitutes a discrimination vis-à-vis farmers and their seed systems.
Conformity of the Nigerian PVP law with UPOV 1991 is bound to have dire consequences for a country where 80% of the farming population consists of small-scale farmers who conserve and improve plant genetic resources and who depend on traditional practices of saving, reusing, exchanging and selling farm-saved seed for their livelihoods.
Analysis have shown that the Nigerian PVP Law places severe restrictions not only on the use of farm-saved seed (propagating material) but extends to harvested material (e.g., grain) and even further to products made directly from harvested material (e.g., milled maize) obtained through the use of harvested material.
In addition, the extensive scope of breeders’ rights will restrict others from using protected varieties for research and breeding purposes. Restrictions to freely save, use, exchange and sell farm-saved seed/propagating material have dire implications particularly as these are essential components of farmers’ rights.  
The Nigerian PVP law fails to recognise farmers’ contributions, or give them rights vis-à-vis, farm-saved seed, without forcing them to pay royalties. It does not enable farmers to develop new varieties (e.g by selection) on the basis of the protected varieties, or save, exchange and sell the propagating material. Thus, the premise of the law is only on strengthening breeders’ rights and marginalising and exploiting small-scale farmers in Nigeria.
Section 49 of the Act allows the applicant to declare some portion of the application to be confidential. This is not acceptable. The PVP Act 2021 including the regulations must define what is considered confidential information, particularly since disclosure of origin is not required as part of the application and grant procedure. Limiting access to information provides loopholes for biopiracy and also makes it difficult for a member of the public or any person opposing an application to do so without having read the relevant information.
The process of development of the PVP law was illegitimate, with no public hearings and lack of consultations and participation of smallholder farmers. This is in contrast to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 which provides for democracy and social justice as per Article 14 (1) and 14(2) (c ).
Smallholder farmers have expressed disappointment over the focus of the government on protecting the rights of breeders over the rights of and support to the smallholder farmers who produce the bulk of the food the nation consumes and who have been custodians of food over the years. They condemn the criminal sanctions on farmers if they duplicate or share seeds registered under this law adding that the current informal system of farming which allows farmers freely share, sell and reuse seeds will be disrupted by this law.
We reject the UPOV-91 Convention because it doesn’t fit the Nigerian context it is designed by countries where agriculture is a business rather than a way of life. Such countries have a tiny fraction of the population involved in agriculture which is of the industrial type whereas a majority of our population is involved in Agriculture with over 80% being small holder farmers.
The UPOV regime does not provide equal protection for all as it is difficult or impossible for farmers to claim protection over the materials they have been using overtime. There is no recognition of collective ownership, only individual, private ownership, and procedures are designed for corporations.
Recent studies and experience in countries where the UPOV 1991 Act has been adopted have shown how dysfunctional the PVP system is and that it has had very little impact on introduction of foreign novel varieties in the OAPI region. The PVP system has not delivered on the promises of food security and nutrition but restricts the use of protected varieties in the exchange and sale of farmer-saved seed/propagating material which have implications on farmer managed seed systems, farmers’ rights and ultimately, human rights.
We demand that:
•    Nigeria should not accede to UPOV and its 1991 Act. Instead Nigeria should conduct a thorough, objective and realistic multidisciplinary assessment of the local situation which takes into account the kind of seed supply system in place, the extent to which farmers freely save, exchange and sell seed/propagating material, the type of domestic seed industry and the existence of public breeding, the current domestic breeding capacity, international obligations applicable (CBD, Nagoya Protocol, ITPGRFA, human rights, etc.), and relevant national objectives and policies (e.g., on nutrition, food security, poverty reduction, agriculture). Nigeria doesn’t have a bilateral trade investment agreement that expressly mandates it to accede to the UPOV 1991 Convention.
•    The Plant Variety Protection Act, 2021 should be recalled and replaced with a sui generis law based on the African Model which addresses the peculiar challenges in Agriculture in an all-inclusive and mutually benefitting way. The Nigerian government should take into account international obligations of which it is party to such as the CBD and the ITPGRFA including other measures required to support implementation of these.
•    Small holder farmers are the backbone of Agriculture in the country and thus should be adequately supported in terms of favourable policies; infrastructure; extension service; credit schemes; access to land etc. for improved productivity.
•     We demand support for farmer managed systems (FMSS), farmers’ rights and our human rights.
•    We demand a democratization of our food system, promotion of local solutions and sovereignty for our small holder farmers.
•    The government should ensure support and autonomy of public breeding research institutions as these breed varieties for farmers and have an obligation to the public.For more information you can reach:
Nnimmo Bassey: nnimmo@homef.org
Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje: annybassi@yahoo.com
Joyce Brown: joyce@homef.orgThis was endorsed by:
1.    Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF)
2.    GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance
3.    Corporate Accountability and Public Participation for Africa (CAPPA)
4.    Nigerians Against GMOs
5.    Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN)
6.    Nigeria Women Farmers Association (NIWAAFA)
7.    We the People
8.    BFA Food and Health Limited
9.    Association of Women Farmers of Nigeria
10.    Women and Youth in Agriculture
11.    Udama Co-operative Farm
12.    Green Alliance Nigeria
13.    Women& Children Life Advancement Initiative
14.    The Young Environmentalist Network (TYEN)
15.    Peace Point Action
16.    Social Action
17.    Committee on Vital Environmental Resources (COVER)
18.    Gender and Environmental Risk Reduction Initiative (GERI)
19.    Eco Defenders Network
20.    Urban-Rural Environmental Defenders (U-RED)
21.    Host Communities Network
22.    Youth and Small Holder Farmers(YOSHOFA)
23.    Women Environment Programme (WEP)
24.    Lekeh Development Foundation (LEDEF)
25.    Nigeria Coal Network (NCN)
26.    Global Prolife Alliance
27.    Neighborhood Environment Watch Foundation
28.    Socio Economic Research and Development Centre
29.    Community Forest Watch
30.    Niger Delta Development Initiative
31.    Kallop Humanitarian and Environmental Center
32.    Citizens Information and Development Initiative
33.    Relief International Africa
34.    Social Accountability and Environmental Sustainability Initiative
35.    Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
36.    Greenleaf Advocacy and Empowerment Center
37.    Foundation for the Conservation of the Earth
38.    Media Awareness and Justice Initiative
39.    WastePlus Environmental Services
40.    Visible Charity Global Foundation
41.    Ogoni Youths Development Initiative
42.    Rivers Indigenous NGOs and Civil Society Network
43.    Masses Interest Coalition
44.    Rivers Network of NGOs
45.    Ofure Centre for Peace and Development
46.    Foundation for Conservation of Nigerian Rivers
47.    Egbema Voice of Freedom
48.    Grass to Amazing Favour Global Foundation
49.    Rivers Community Content Initiative
50.    Jelu New Breed Foundation
51.    Rivers Civil Society Organisations
52.    BINEC Herbson Development Foundation
53.    Angel Support Foundation (ASF)
54.    Community Development Advocacy Foundation (CODAF)
55.    Egbema Voice of Freedom
56.    BRACED Union, Edo State Chapter
57.    Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development(CEHRD)
58.    ANPEZ Center for Environment and Development
59.    Society for Women and Youth Affairs (SWAYA)
60.    Pius Dukor Foundation for Community Development and Advancement
61.    Canaan Peace, Women and Community Development Initiative (CAPWOCODI)
62.    Kallop Humanitarian and Environmental Center
63.    Center for Environment, Media and Development Foundation (CEMEDEC)
64.    Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy and Development(FENRAD)
65.    Niger Delta Women International Resource, Environment and Development Center (NDWIRED CENTER)
66.    Public Enlightenment Projects (PEP)
67.    Greenskill Acquisition Centre Ltd
68.    Centre for Justice, Empowerment and Development
69.    Centre for Rural Emancipation, Economic and Social Development
70.    Child and Green Foundation
71.    Sunshine Progressive Youth Alliance
72.    Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre
73.    Rural Health and Women Development
74.    League of Queens International Empowerment
75.    Alauchi Women Development Initiative
76.    Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI)
77.    Rights advocacy & development center (RADEC)
78.    The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)-South Africa
79.    Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA)-Uganda
80.    The African Biodiversity Network (ABN)-Kenya
81.    West African Association for the Development of Artisanal Fisheries (ADEPA)-Senegal
82.    Coalition for the Protection of Africa’s Genetic Heritage (COPAGEN)
83.    West African Committee of Peasant Seeds (COASP)-Senegal
84.    Comparing and Supporting Endogenous Development (COMPAS Africa)
85.    Eastern and Southern Africa Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF)-Tanzania
86.    Fahamu Africa
87.    Groundswell West Africa
88.    The Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA)
89.    Inades-Formation
90.    The Indigenous Peoples of Africa Co-ordinating Committee (IPACC)-South Africa
91.    Young Volunteers for the Environment (YVE)-Togo
92.    Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (PELUM)-Uganda
93.    La Via Campesina (LVC)-Zimbabwe
94.    World Neighbors-USA
95.    Network of Farmers ‘and Producers’ Organizations in West Africa (ROPPA)
96.    Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA)
97.    The Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI)-South Africa
98.    PROPAC-Cameroon
99.    African Union of Consumers (AUC)-Chad
100.    Regional Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme(ReSCOPE)-Zimbabwe
101.    Biowatch South Africa

Comment

Safe Food and Feed Foundation aligns with the stand of HOMEF and the 101 stakeholders
Dele Fapohunda
25 August, 2021

FOOD FRAUD, RECALLS AND FOOD SAFETY IN AFRICA

Food recalls, a process of withdrawal of a circulating product, constitute a vital ingredient of the food safety soup. Recalls are made when it is clear that the circulation and distribution of a particular product will injure the health of consumers. It is also done to assist the manufacturer in recovering her image which further distribution of the product will certainly cause loss of good will. Recalls come when appropriate and uncompromising monitoring regime is put in place. The most common foodborne illnesses are those caused by certain bacteria and viruses including Salmonella, Listeria, and Escherichia coli, or, norovirus, and Clostridium perfringens, or C. perfringens. Although many Western countries regularly recall as due, it is not known whether sub- Saharan countries have this regulatory approach.
Notable recalls in history include
1 Arkansas-based Cargill meat solutions Corporation recall in which one person died and 99 morbidities recorded. It took place in 2011, cost the company about 31 million pounds
2. Also Hallmark/Westland in 2006, suffered seriously as a result of a 143 million pounds recall o of beef
3. In 2015, a Salmonella infection on cucumber consumers resulted 900 cases. The cucumbers were reportedly imported into the USA from Mexico . The worst incident is the one involving cantaloupes in 2011 where more than 33 people died. Listeria was implicated and this caused some damage in cost and integrity to the company, Frontera.
4. Also in 2015, Time magazine reported a Listeria outbreak on ice cream which claimed 3 lives. Inconsistent sterilizing techniques partly resulted in this
5 Peanut Corporation of America recorded number of . of cases as 700 and the number of deaths: 9
This is one of the biggest Salmonella outbreaks of all time occurred between 2008 and 2009 when the pathogen was detected in Peanut Corporation of America’s peanut products. The outbreak infected over 700 people and killed nine in the U.S. and Canada
6. In March 2017, Vulto Creamery, an artisanal cheesemaker, based in Walton, New York reported 8 as the number of cases with 2 as the number of deaths recalled several cheeses made with raw milk that were contaminated with Listeria
7. Blue Bell Creameries, based in Texas, recorded cases as 10, and number of deaths as 3 . As a result of this the company voluntarily recalled its ice cream, yogurt, sherbet, and frozen snack products in April 2015, based on confirmed presence of Listeria
Commonly recalled items include Cosmetics, food Medications and toys What is a Food Recall?
A food recall is when a food producer takes a product off the market because there is reason to believe that it may cause consumers to become ill. In some situations, government agencies may request a food recall. Food recalls may happen for many reasons, including but not limited to:
• Discovery of organisms, including bacteria such as Salmonella or parasites such as Cyclospora.
• Discovery of foreign objects such as broken glass or metal.
• Discovery of a major allergen that does not appear on the product label.
What to Do with a Recalled Product
A food product that has been recalled due to a possible germ contamination or illness, can leave germs around your kitchen and contaminate surfaces, including the drawers and shelves in your refrigerator.
If you’ve already prepared a recalled food item in your kitchen or still have it in your refrigerator, it’s important to throw out the food and clean your kitchen.
• Wash all cookware and utensils (including cutting boards) with hot soapy water.
• Clear off counters and refrigerator drawers and shelves and wash them with hot soapy water.
• Then wipe any surfaces, shelves, or drawers and rinse dishes and cookware with a sanitizing solution and let them air dry. You can use a diluted bleach solution (1 TBSP unscented, liquid chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water).
• Products recalled due to an undeclared allergen may be a risk for anyone in your household with an allergy to that substance. If the product has never been served, throw it away or return it for a refund. If the product has been served, wash with soap and water any surfaces – plates, pots and pans, utensils, and counters – with which the product may have had contact.
How do you know whether the item you are having right now has been recalled. Always visit appropriate website like www.recall.gov
RECALL POLICIES ARE NOT YET INSTITUTIONALIZED IN AFRICA. The implication of this is that many citizens still get exposed to unprotected and unwholesome food items on a regular basis. Lack of recalls when necessary may encourage the perpetration of food fraud as a state policy, thus injuring human health, which the Africa Union is advised to discourage

Wishing you all a safe food !!!!

Source

www.FoodSafety.gov
www.recall.gov
www.fda.gov
www.mashed.com
https://247wallst.com/special-report/2019

Dele FapohundaPh.D
234 8033709492

June 15,2021

MANY CASES OF LIVER CANCER TRACEABLE TO AFLATOXIN CONSUMPTION IN FOOD AND FEED

Many cases of liver cancer  are traceable  to consumption of aflatoxin contaminated  foods. This was made known by the Managing Director, HarvestField Industries, Martins Awofisayo, at a one-day workshop on ‘Scaling Solutions to Control Aflatoxin in Nigeria’s Crop Value Chain-Test Results under the CBN-ABP 2020 Wet Season Project’held in Abuja. Speaking on the health and economic implications of the deadly disease that is found on maize, groundnuts and others, Awofisayo said his company has found a solution to the menace of aflatoxin which is called Aflasafe. Aflatoxins are poisonous chemicals produced by Aspergillus flavus and A.parasiticus (molds). The molds reside in the soil and dead, decaying organic matter and from there reach the crops. Animal feeds, Maize, Groundnut, Sorghum, Cassava, Pepper and Cotton Seeds are susceptible and can be infected both at pre-and post harvest. Effects of aflatoxin in humans, animal health and agro-produce trade include liver diseases, including cancer; causes stunting and growth retardation in children; suppresses the immune system; causes abnormal swelling of stomach; depending on the dose, it can cause death; and effect on trade through produce rejection. He said: “I can see that the issue of aflatoxin is already settled by the people and gathering that we have here today. READ ALSO: JUSUN strike: Edo Judiciary suspends Mondays’ sittings “A solution has been found to control and mitigate aflatoxin in our food, crop value chain but there is nothing we are doing about it. “Millions of people have been traced to the consumption of aflatoxin infected foods to having liver cancer. “4 million children are suffering from stunted growth, and these are the issues and why we are gathered here today shows we are serious about it, and now is a great opportunity for us to do a road-map after today. “Aflatoxin is a challenge we have taken on ourselves, and we have seen the gap and we want to fill it. Our farmers are suffering form the economic angle, they will borrow money to farm and they will not have money to sell, and our children are also suffering, and anywhere we go you mention aflatoxin people shiver. “On Aflasafe, it is a cost-effective bio-control product that reduces crop aflatoxin content from field to storage. It contains four non-toxin producing (atoxigenic) strains of Aspergillus flavus native to Nigeria. The four useful strains are coated on roasted sorghum grains as Aflasafe. Blue dye distinguishes Aflasafe from regular sorghum. “Some of the benefits of Aflasafe include displacement of toxigenic Aspergillus species; allows producing aflatoxin-safe crops; improved family health; improved livestock productivity; better trading opportunities; access to premium, aflatoxin-conscious markets; guarantees zero-reject of Nigeria’s agro-commodity exports; and guarantees food safety. “The applicaton procedure goes like this; it is broadcasted at a rate of 10 kg/ha in maize  and groundnut; in maize, it is applied 2-3 weeks before flowering; groundnut fields are treated 30-45 days after planting; sporulation occurs within 2-5 days after application, and for up to 30 days; atoxingenic strains multiply and displaces the toxigenic strains; full manual on the application is also available in English, Yoruba, and Hausa at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Headquarters, 36 States’ Greenhouses and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Greenhouse.” According to him in Rwanda, they have declared no farmer can cultivate any maize whether as a smallholder farmer or big farmer without the use of aflasafe and it is a criminal offence. He posited, “How are we going to do that in Nigeria? We have the wherewithal to do that”, he stated. He further stated that “We have built the largest agro-chemical manufacturing plant in Nigeria and largest in Africa in terms of capacity, size and was built on a eight hectares of land, fully developed and no one factory like this in Africa, and kudos to the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, they supported us through the cash loan and this is what we have now, and we are almost paying off the cash loan. “And in this factory, we produce over 41 million liters on a single shift so if we can double our shift to two then we can do about 82 million litters per annum, and we have been the ones supporting the Anchor Borrowers now, we are producing for the anchor borrower programme in cassava, maize, groundnut and others. “This is the experience we brought to bear in the handling of aflasafe. We have passion and that is to make HarvestField any agric input our farmers may need. Right from the bottles in agro-chemical we produce in Nigeria, and 70 per cent of our raw materials are sourced locally and increased the value chain. “We have spent $5 million on the largest agro-chemical factory in Africa and yet we do not have the enabling environment compared to other countries

Source=https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/04/millions-of-liver-cancer-cases-traced-to-consumption-of-aflatoxin-infected-foods-harvestfield/

 

Dele Fap

234 8033709492

May 2, 2021

EDIBLE INSECTS AS ANOTHER SAFE OPTION AT THE DINING TABLE

The economic importance   of  insects, ranging from their use as animal feed, human food and to a critical resource in environmental sustainability has increased the interest in them of recent.   Many insects, like grasshoppers,  not considered edible in a region is widely accepted in other parts of the world. The FAO  of the United Nations just came up with a publication on the edible insects and food safety

The publication provides a summary of regulatory frameworks that govern the farm and use of insects

It’s a rewarding piece meant for food safety professionals, activists, researchers, policy makers, insect producers  and consumers

The 2021 document titled = Looking at edible insects from food safety perspectives, Challenges and opportunities for the sector= can be accessed  by visiting   <https://doi.org/10.4060/cb4094en>

 

 

Happy reading, as you make insect consumption another  option, at your dining table !!

 

 

Dele Fapohunda

234 8033709492

2 May, 2021

FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCES USA 2021-23

Here is a list of some relevant meetings in United States of America,  for your attention. Happy reading

April, 2021
June, 2021
October, 2021
June, 2022
August, 2022
September, 2022
October, 2022
November, 2022
December, 2022
January, 2023
March, 2023

Source=https://conferenceindex.org/conferences/food-safety/united-states

accessed 20 April, 2021

DF

FOOD SAFETY CONFERENCES IN CANADA 2021-22

Dear Readers
Kindly find  below a list of Food Safety meetings holding up to 2022. Sure you will find it useful
May, 2021
June, 2021
September, 2021
May, 2022
June, 2022
July, 2022
August, 2022
September, 2022

Source=https://conferenceindex.org/conferences/food-safety/canada accessed 20 April, 2021

Dele Fapohunda

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