Food safety still poses challenges for Africa
Food safety must be improved in Africa to allow producers to enter new markets and avoid losses created by unsafe food, revealed The 9th International Finance Corporation (IFC) International Food Safety Forum. IFC is part of the World Bank and, so far, food safety advisory program has helped over 200 clients attract $607 million in investment and generate $709 million in new sales, according to Jumoke Jagun-Dokunmu, IFC’s regional director for Eastern Africa.
"We believe that improved food safety is helping clients meet regional and export market requirements, attract investment, realize cost savings and strengthen their brands. We’d like to see a greater emphasis placed on public-private partnerships and the support both sectors can provide on food safety and food security," Jagun-Dokunmu added.
A 2018 study found the economic losses from unsafe food in low- and middle-income countries reached $110 billion every year in terms of lost productivity and medical expenses.
Keith Hansen, World Bank country director for Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, and Uganda, said in Kenya, the estimated annual cost of unsafe food is about $800 million or nearly 1 percent of the country’s GDP. "One of the key problems that Kenya is currently facing is aflatoxins and other mycotoxin contamination in both unprocessed and processed food. The prevalence of aflatoxins in maize is a particular concern as maize is not only a staple food for most Kenyans but also a key ingredient in animal feed which has a direct negative impact on meat, milk and egg intake. Clearly, a way forward on tackling this issue is going to be critical,'' he said, quoted by Food Safety News.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will link 55 countries with 1.3 billion people and a combined potential GDP of $3.4 trillion. The African Union is holding an online meeting from June 8 to 11 to work on a draft African Food Safety Strategy.
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