Announcements

Job offersmore »

Specialsmore »

Recent commentsmore »

Top 5 - yesterday

  • No news was published yesterday.

Top 5 - last week

Top 5 - last month

Other news more »

Exchange ratesmore »




Gambia: Improved food safety increases food supply - FAO boss

Dr. Babagana Ahmadu, the FAO representative in The Gambia, has said that improving the safety of the food produced and consumed in The Gambia will not only reduce the negative health effects of unsafe food, but will also help to increase the supply of available food, as the food that is produced will remain consumable longer and will increase opportunities for export of food and agricultural products.

He made this statement yesterday, at the opening of a two-day training organised by the National Codex/ Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (NCSPSC) under the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)- funded by bio-security Support Project This was held at the National Nutrition Agency (NaNA) conference hall in Kanifing.

The training which brought together 50 stakeholders, is aimed at providing training on the role and functions of codex and the sanitary and phytosanitary committees at both national and international levels, to finalise three NCSPSC standard (food labelling, fats and oils and food advertising code) and also to develop a work plan for developing and finalising standards until end 2009. According to him, the NCSPSC plays an important role in improving food safety, animal and plant health in The Gambia and also helped to facilitate international trade in food and agricultural products by developing national standards and providing a voice for The Gambia in international standards setting fora. He added that FAO is using The Gambia as a good example for other member countries of how the Codex and SPS committees can be combined.

He further noted FAO's unshakable resolve to assist the National Codex, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee in their work to improve food safety, animal and plant health in The Gambia. Deputizing for the World Health Organisation representative in The Gambia, Dr. Thomas Sukwa, Kebba Dibba of the WHO said that since the coming into being of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1963, the WHO has been working towards setting standards to make food safer for the consumers and also ensuring that trading practices are fairer.

He noted that the revitalisation of the National Codex Committee and the expansion of its functions is a step in the right direction. He added that the responsibility bestowed on this committee is huge going by the terms of reference. He said therefore that the training is very timely as it is meant to build the capacity of the committee members to enable then better understand the scope of their mandate and hence carry out their functions. "We in WHO and the entire UN system will, therefore continue to work closely with the government of The Gambia through the Office of the Vice President, under which NaNA is established, and the Ministry of Health in ensuring that we collectively achieve the task we have set out ourselves to do.

I would like to assure the government and in particular the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare that WHO will continue to support the government in its quest to provide safer food to the entire population," he concluded. Sana Jawara, co-chair of the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee delivered the welcoming remarks.


Source: allafrica.com

Publication date: 10/23/2009

 


Receive the daily newsletter in your email for free | Click here


 

Other news in this sector:

7/23/2010 US (CA): New leaf food safety solutions launches SmartWash
7/23/2010 EU food security is ‘deeply flawed’
7/22/2010 US: FDA gets bumper crop of comments on produce safety
7/19/2010 Chile: Frost threatens to lower production of avocados and oranges
7/19/2010 TQC supports the Peruvian agro
7/15/2010 4 states recall Diamond USA dried apricot rolled due to undeclared sulfites
7/15/2010 Canada: Fresh Express salad recall in Saskatchewan
7/14/2010 Pesticide threat looms over French West Indies
7/13/2010 Mexico: Interpreting the avocado genome
7/7/2010 US: Food body sets rules for bagged salad, melamine use
7/2/2010 Chinese vegetables are becoming safer
7/2/2010 Spain: Successful agriculture experiments for biological control of aphids in peppers
7/1/2010 FDA should follow report’s call for proactive approach to food safety
6/29/2010 AuStar, an ally to take advantage of the best market conditions
6/25/2010 India: Health Ministry gets strict on artificial ripening of fruits
6/25/2010 Excellent results with test of capsules conatining pomegranate skin extract
6/24/2010 Spain: Guide to biological pest control in tomatoes
6/22/2010 NZ: Researchers use virus to combat rhino beetle
6/21/2010 US: Officials say Arizona farm may be source of E. coli outbreak
6/18/2010 India: FDA cracks down on mango sellers

 

 

Leave a comment:

Name: *
Email: *
City: *
Country: *
  Display email address
Comment: *