Food safety and quality
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Good hygiene practices and HACCP

Processing dates for export in Namibia - © FAO / M. Namundjebo
Processing dates for export in Namibia

All consumers have the right to expect and demand safe, good quality food.  
Successful domestic and international trade in food and a sustainable agriculture-based development depend on safe food supplies that meet buyers’ quality requirements.
Food businesses meet their food safety and quality responsibilities by implementing quality assurance systems along the food production chain. These set of controls may include Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), Good Hygienic Practices (GHPs), Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) systems. Many businesses can face challenges, but in particular small scale producers and traders in developing countries need support in planning and implementing food safety management programmes in line with international requirements.

The food safety group promotes the application of preventive food safety management systems by food business operators along the food chain in line with Codex guidelines and recommendations.

We work with concerned stakeholders in developing countries at national and local levels from both public and private sectors to:

  • promote the application of Good Hygienic Practices at all stages of the food chain, and the HACCP system as appropriate
  • promote sustainable development of capacities and systems by national institutions (private and public) to enable delivery of technical assistance within the country
  • develop tools and training materials for adaptation and use in support of national training programmes with the aim to strengthen important value chains and develop sector-specific national codes of practice