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Source of Article: http://www.observer.org.sz/main.php?id=48635§ion=Business
GOVERNMENT has embarked
on a project aimed at developing an effective food safety control management
system. "Many times our agricultural products have been
rejected in the international market because of non-compliance with required
standards," noted Ministry of Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Robert
Thwala. Speaking during the official launch of the SADC SPS/Food
Safety capacity building workshop at Mphophoma, he
said it was imperative that the country develops an effective food safety
control management system so as to protect the health of consumers as well as
be able to participate in regional and international trade. He said the project, which aims at supporting national
food safety control systems, would assist the country in upgrading its
regulatory framework, infrastructure and human resource capacity. "Food safety is a shared responsibility involving
farmers, processors, industry, retailers and distributors, hence we have
stakeholders from different institutions who are involved in food safety
along the food chain," said the PS. "Food safety impacts on all stages from production
to consumption so we have to work in partnership as public, private sectors
to address issues of safe food, plant and animal health." Dr. Thwala said as a member
of all international standard setting bodies under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), He said this required the country to develop a food
safety system that would ensure the health of the population and that policy
decisions were based on scientific evidence. The PS said government had established a National
Coordinating Committee that would be responsible for implementation of food
safety activities, which would include harmonisation
of food safety control regulations, guidelines and procedures. He noted that it would not be easy to accomplish the
project goals considering that the activities of food safety control
management were fragmented, with different institutions involved. The PS noted that in carrying out the project,
determination, patience and diligence would be needed to change existing
attitudes in the different structures that deal with food safety. Dr. Thwala expressed
gratitude towards the SADC region for initiating what he said was an
important project, which if taken seriously, was going to assist in meeting
some of the millennium development goals (MDGs). "The time has come where we have to make a
concerted effort and work together in addressing issues that are pertinent to
our health and livelihoods," he said. |
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