ZIMBABWE is set to benefit from a £5 million project funded by the European Union along with 10 other countries in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
The programme, “Strengthening food control and phyto-sanitary capacities and governance”, is set to provide technical support while working with competent authorities and other leading institutions in the 11 countries to build capabilities, strengthen governance and improve strategic planning around food safety and plant health.
In a speech read on his behalf at the launch of the Assessment of Zimbabwe’s National Food Control System using the Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Health Organisation (FAO/WHO) Food Control System Assessment Tool in Harare yesterday, Health ministry’s environmental health services director Victor Nyamandi said the project would increase trade among African Union member States.
The project will be implemented in close collaboration with the African Commission Division for Rural Economy and Agriculture.
“The project foresees, among other activities, the implementation of a facilitated assessment of the national food control system, using the FAO/WHO food control system assessment tool, in selected countries and members of the African Union (AU), and more specifically of the area of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa),” he said.
FAO and WHO have been supporting the strengthening of food safety and food control across the globe for some time.
“In the recent past, there was need for development of a tool that could systematically assess a country’s food control system, its strengths and weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
“In 2019, the Food Control System Assessment Tool was developed to track a country’s food control system performance in a structured, transparent and measurable manner and it does so throughout the entire food chain, measuring and evaluating progress over time,” Nyamandi said.
- Ndiweni slams 2022 census outcome
- CCC urged to push for dialogue over reforms
- Illegal smuggling of US-made weapons from Afghanistan to Pakistan and its trade: a thriving business in Pakistan
- Albert Nyathi poetry delights Kenya
Keep Reading
As part of the food safety component, an assessment of the national food control system will be carried out in Zimbabwe. Project activities began last November and are underway in seven Comesa countries.
“A team of food safety experts from FAO will work closely with Zimbabwe’s local competent authorities for food safety and relevant stakeholders, to assess the effectiveness of the national food control system and to develop strategies to improve the country’s public health and economic development,” he said.
The launch yesterday came after Zimbabwe undertook the assessment in 2016.
“This follow-up training and reassessment of the food control system in the Republic of Zimbabwe will help us to identify our system strengths and weaknesses which will be instrumental as we work towards the development of our national food safety strategic plan, to make our food safer, to improve our public health and for our food to be more competitive on the global food market.
“We acknowledge the FAO country office for its continued support as we continue to strengthen our national food control system," he said.
Zimbabwe will be the first country to re-assess its national food control system using the FAO/WHO assessment tool after several years.
