Lusubilo Mwamakamba (WHO AFRO), Hakim Mufumbiro (CCAFRICA), Sansan Kambire (FAO RAF) 

To mark World Food Safety Day 2025, the Regional Offices for Africa of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO RAF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), the African Union–InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), and the FAO/WHO Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa (CCAFRICA) jointly hosted a regional webinar on 12 June 2025.

The webinar brought together stakeholders from across Africa’s food sector, including representatives from government competent authorities, academia, research institutions, and food safety and quality testing laboratories. It provided a dynamic platform to raise awareness and exchange knowledge on the critical role of science in shaping food safety management decisions. The event also highlighted best practices for enhancing data generation efforts, a key component in building robust, science-based food safety systems.

In a video address, Dr Allan Azegele, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, reaffirmed that Codex standards are grounded in robust scientific evidence, developed to protect consumer health and promote fair practices in food trade. He emphasized that addressing food safety challenges in Africa requires more than good intentions—it demands robust science, strong institutions, and sustained collaboration. Echoing this message, Hakim Mufumbiro of CCAFRICA stressed the importance of regional participation in global standard-setting. “Science is the lifeblood of standards setting,” he noted, “and it is important for the region to generate and submit data to contribute meaningfully to outcomes within the international standards framework.”

Lusubilo Mwamakamba from the WHO reiterated the importance of regional cooperation in strengthening capacities across the region. “By working together through capacity building, collaborative research and stronger ties with academic institutions, she noted, “we can respond more effectively and consistently to the food safety challenges that threaten public health”.

Further emphasizing science as a driving force behind the protection of the food supply, Dr Mphumuzi Sukati, Senior Food and Nutrition Officer at FAO RAF, noted that the “use of science is also critical in facilitating food trade and ensuring regional integration, especially under the aegis of the African Continental Free Trade Area”. Similarly, Dr Virginia Siebenrok, Chief of Food safety and Quality Assurance at WFP, urged the use of science and partnerships to “move, improve, and facilitate the movements of goods within Africa”. She underscored the need for standards to be “regularly updated, regionally harmonized, and aligned with scientific data.”

A keynote address focused on “Contribution of evidence-based action in advancing food safety standards setting and adoption in Africa” was delivered by Dr Benoit Gnonlonfin, Global Programme lead for Sanitary and Phytosanitary at the Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International (CABI). He emphasized the importance of generating high-quality scientific data and shared practical examples where the African Region has successfully contributed to establishing Codex standards at both global and regional levels - demonstrating the region’s growing capacity in food standard setting processes. Despite these achievements, Dr Gnonlonfin noted that significant work remains. He issued a call to action, urging countries to among others enhance and maintain close collaboration with national Codex committees; encourage national experts to participate in Codex scientific advisory committees; prioritize investments in food safety risk assessment and leverage on the capacity building support from partners to enhance scientific data generation and submission from the region.

The webinar also featured expert presentations on real-world lessons and field experiences on data generation efforts aimed at advancing food standards development and informing policy. Dr James Noah Ssemanda, Senior Food Safety expert, presented work on microbiological contamination in fresh fruits and vegetable salads while Dr Yann Christie Sissinto Adjovi, Head of the biochemistry and molecular biology laboratory at the Beninese Center for Scientific Research and Innovation, shared insights on aflatoxins contamination in staple food products. Geoffrey Onen, Former Assistant Commissioner with the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory in Uganda, discussed emerging trends in pesticide residue risk assessment and its impact on risk management while Lucy Namu, Chief Manager, Laboratories, Kenya National Accreditation Service on the other hand delved on the importance of accreditation in ensuring the reliability and credibility of data.  

The webinar also spotlighted ongoing initiatives supporting food safety data generation and information management. Minato Yuki, Technical Officer at WHO, provided an overview of WHO’s initiative to estimate the burden of foodborne diseases, a critical step in understanding and addressing food safety risks globally and regionally. Winta Sintayehu, Senior Programme Officer at the Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), presented on two key initiatives led by the African Union Commission: the Africa Aflatoxin Information Management System (AfricaAIMS) and the Africa Food Safety Index (AFSI). These platforms are instrumental in tracking progress and informing policy in food safety across the continent.

With over 350 participants in attendance, the webinar was widely appreciated for the collaborative efforts of AU-IBAR, CCAFRICA, FAO, WFP, and WHO in creating a continental platform to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and explore strategies for enhancing scientific evidence to support food standards development and implementation.

A key takeaway from the session was that generating scientific evidence is only part of the solution—equally important is ensuring that this evidence is translated into practical actions that protect public health and improve food safety outcomes daily.

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