CABI News

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CABI has participated in the 25th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA 25) to help support sustainable food value chains and break down non-tariff barriers to trade.

All speakers at the opening ceremony acknowledged the regional and global challenges faced by countries in the CCAFRICA region and recognized the Codex Alimentarius Commission as key in addressing those challenges related to food safety and trade.

Topics of concern were outlined by representatives for the World Health Organization (WHO), on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and WHO, and the African Union (AU) and included antimicrobial resistance, aflatoxins, pesticide residues and weak national food control systems.

Emerging issues under discussion also included food fraud, emerging contaminants affecting the environment and food safety such as microplastics, as well as water availability.

Adoption of a number of Africa regional food safety standards

Dr Gbemenou Joselin Benoit Gnonlonfin, CABI’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS), Global Program Lead, attended the event in Kampala, Uganda, as an observer in the Codex Alimentarius Commission established in 1972 with a mandate to “exercise general coordination in the preparation of standards relating to the region of Africa.

He took part in the CCAFRICA 25 sessions to contribute, coordinate Member Countries’ participation in the codex standards setting process, as well as adoption of a number of Africa regional food safety standards.

During the event, the Committee agreed on the need to engage further with regional Codex Observers – including CABI – to identify ways of moving towards alignment of activities with priority agrifood sectors in the region. The issue of working towards better data gathering in the region was also identified as a priority.

The Agreement of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect in May 2020, has reinforced the need for an efficient and effective system for managing sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, in particular food safety, across the continent as its borders open for trade.

SPS systems refer to organizational arrangements set by countries to safeguard the health of humans, animals, and plants from hazards and risks associated with pests, diseases or contaminants carried in food and feed, plants and animal products as well as various processes associated with agricultural production, processing, trade and food supply.

Development and improvement of sustainable value chains

Dr Gbemenou Joselin Benoit Gnonlonfin said, “CABI, as observer in Codex, helps both to support the development and improvement of sustainable value chains as well as breaking down the non-tariff barriers to trade.
“CABI does this by helping governments improve the legal environment in having fit-for-purpose regulations, so farmers, processers, traders and food business operators (FBOs) are able to improve the quality and safety of what they grow, process and sell.”

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Dr Gbemenou Joselin Benoit Gnonlonfin, CABI’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS), taking part in CCAFRICA 25.

He added that government in the developing countries have struggled to participate and put in place a conducive regulatory environment which includes the domestication and application of regional and international regulations, recommendations and standards.

Dr Gbemenou Joselin Benoit Gnonlonfin, said, “In many instances the success of these is also reliant on the successful building of public private partnerships (PPP) and other collaborative mechanisms, which has also faced challenges.

“Ensuring the right regulation is in place and followed to ensure the creation of sustainable agricultural value chains and that non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade are broken down have never been more important.

“Recognizing smallholder farmers, processors, traders and FBOs in developing countries produce most of the world’s food, they often face the biggest hurdles to operate and comply with regional and international SPS standards including food safety.

“In addition to this accessing information and technologies to support and supply lucrative local, national and global markets is a challenge. Young people and women can also benefit from new opportunities in agricultural trade.”

Improve access to markets which, in turn, will boost livelihoods

He said CABI worked with countries, donors and partners, to develop a SPS strategy and, through its implementation, is helping smallholder farmers, processors traders, and FBOs to sustainably produce and process safer food, working together to improve access to markets which, in turn, will boost their livelihoods.

At the opening ceremony, Honourable Francis Mwebesa, Uganda’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, said, “Emerging hazards, climate change, and new technologies require our regulatory systems to adapt quickly. While harmonized standards are essential, their value lies in the extent of their implementation.”

He went on to highlight the need to develop capacities within food businesses and to modernize national food control systems.

The Honourable Ltd. Col. (Rtd.) Bright Rwamirama, Minister of State for Animal Industry in Uganda, said, “By strengthening the national food control system so as to improve the quality and safety of locally and internationally traded food commodities and raising the profile of Codex and food safety issues, we will position our countries for improved access to regional and international markets.”

Three side events were organized for the meeting and were very well attended and offered more information on key topic areas. These explored ideas around consumer food safety education and advocacy including through digital platforms.

CCAFRICA 25 concluded with the nomination of the Gambia as the new Regional Coordinator succeeding Uganda in the process.
In acknowledging their nomination as Regional Coordinator and thanking the Committee, the delegate for the Gambia said: “The Gambia stands committed to the ideas of CCAFRICA … and we will ensure that we will continue to work with each and every Member Country to move the agenda of CCAFRICA.”

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Attendees of the CCAFRICA 25 event in Kampala, Uganda.

Additional information

Main image: The 25th session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA 25) was held to address challenges related to food safety and trade.

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