@FAOGhana/David Youngs

Koforidua, - Promoting food safety for zero hunger to contribute towards the attainment of global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

To improve the understanding of food safety Risk Analysis, (Risk Assessment, Risk Management, and Risk Communication), The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has trained food safety actors in Ghana on Preliminary Food Safety Risk Management activities including risk ranking and risk profiling.

Food safety is an issue that transcends international boundaries. It has become an increasing global threat to human health, trade and development. Foodborne pathogens do not recognize boundaries or borders.

Hazards associated with unsafe food in Ghana are often reflected in incidence of food-borne illnesses, stagnation of trade volumes, and retarded economic growth.

There is therefore more work to be done in the area of policy and legislative framework governing the food control systems to allow adequate protection of food supply from microbial, chemical, and physical hazards during production, harvesting, processing, storage, transportation, and marketing along the value chain. Regulatory functions need to be very effective to ensure adherence to standards throughout the stages from farm to table.

Speaking at the training workshop, the Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture Mr. Henry Crentsil Jnr. noted in view of our changing lifestyles, that it is important to analyze the dynamics in the food chain in all the discussions since food safety involves everybody in the chain taking a critical look at the standards right from production to the table. 

The Assistant FAO Representative to Ghana Mr. Benjamin Adjei who spoke on behalf of the FAO Representative to Ghana Ms. Jocelyn Brown Hall said, Global statistics show that, about 600 million cases of foodborne diseases occur annually (about 20 cases every second), and these are responsible for 420,000 deaths annually.

“Unfortunately, the situation disproportionally affects vulnerable and marginalized people, especially women and children across the globe. Access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health”, he added.

These inadequacies lead to dis-functioning of national food safety certification, standardization, traceability and regulatory systems needed to meet the challenges of a modern food industry. The meat, fish, and plant food industries operating in production, processing and marketing, are all caught up in this menace. These are issues of concern to consider in strengthening the risk-based food control systems in Ghana.

FAO support to the food Control system in Ghana 

The FAO is providing a technical support to the Government of Ghana to strengthen the food control systems in the country.

A TCP has been developed and designed to augment government’s efforts in promoting and strengthening food safety, food security and nutrition for zero hunger in a bid to contribute towards the attainment of global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Food Safety and Quality Officer for the FAO Regional Office for Africa and Lead Technical Officer for a government of Ghana and FAO project which aims at strengthening food control systems in Ghana, Dr. Blaise Ouattara commended participants for their enthusiasm and willingness to ensure safe foods in Ghana. He urged participants to ensure the same enthusiasm for the subsequent trainings.

The three-day workshop focused on Primary risk management activities, risk management options, implementation and monitoring, Notions of hazards, risk, food and hazard  Combinations (FHCs). Through group exercises and facilitated discussion, participants were guided towards the identification and listing of common food hazard combinations in Ghana. They were further tasked to initiate development a risk profile based on a prioritized FHC for the next training session.

Food safety and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Food safety is key to achieving several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It has direct impact on SDG 1 on poverty; SDG 2 on hunger, food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture; SDG 3 on healthy lives and wellbeing; SDG 8 on economic growth, employment and work; SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production, and SDG 17 on global partnerships. It is therefore a shared responsibility between governments, producers and consumers to ensure food safety for all as well as a reduction in food-borne illnesses.