In Zimbabwe, FAO leads an evaluation of the national food control system

Last week FAO began a project to improve the food control system in Zimbabwe. A 5-million-euro project funded by the European Union, "Strengthening of Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control,” which began last November, is providing technical support and working with Competent Authorities and other leading institutions in 11 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Member Countries to build up capabilities, strengthen governance and improve strategic planning around two main components: food safety and plant health.

As part of the food safety component, an assessment of the national food control system will be carried out in Zimbabwe. A team of food safety experts from FAO will work closely with local Competent Authorities for food safety and relevant stakeholders, to assess the effectiveness of the national food control system and to develop strategies contributing eventually to improve the country’s public health and economic development. Zimbabwe concludes the list of countries that will implement the assessment within the project. The other countries involved in the project are either in the data gathering process or almost at the end stages of the assessment. Between August and September, strategic workshops marking the conclusion of the assessment will be conducted in Comoros, Kenya, the Seychelles, Eswatini and Rwanda.

Assessment of the national food control system in Zimbabwe

The project, co-signed by the Government of Zimbabwe, falls within the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Policy Framework for Africa developed by the African Union (AU) to spur trade among AU Member States and is implemented in close collaboration with the African Commission Division for Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC DARBE). 

Zimbabwe and FAO have a long-standing partnership working together since FAO established its Representation in Harare in 1984 to enhance policy and institutional frameworks, further agricultural productivity and competitiveness, and develop resilience around climate change.

FAO will be using the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool to support Zimbabwe’s national food control system assessment. The country had undergone an assessment of its food control system in 2016 as a pilot country for the Tool’s preliminary version. A more updated version of the tool will be used in the current assessment.

An assessment conducted within a seven-year period will allow the team to identify improvements, develop a more focused roadmap and to provide feedback to further improve the tool.

The country will benefit in identifying areas that need improvement and establishing a planning platform for future food control implementation areas," said Mr Victor Nyamandi, government coordinator of the food control system assessment in Zimbabwe and Director of Environmental Health Services from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care.

As part of the assessment, a team of FAO experts will assist Zimbabwe’s Competent Authorities in food safety through various assessment steps, culminating with the development of a set of recommendations and a strategic framework to facilitate their implementation.

The project aims to assist Zimbabwe in adhering to international standards that will allow greater harmonization and trade in the region. 

Launch of the project and training of focal points 

The inception and training workshop took place in Harare and Kadoma between July 3 and 7 and included presentations, discussions, and case studies to train focal points of the Competent Authorities on the technical aspects of the Tool and also on their respective responsibilities and activities in the subsequent phases of the project. The activities included data collection across the whole food control system. Participants expressed enthusiasm in the assessment. “Our department and the team is available and ready to support this assessment process,” said Dr Michael Vere, Acting Director of Health Services in Harare, adding “so we ensure better food for the population.”

This assessment is a testament to the country’s commitment will allow the country to advancing food safety. As Nyamandi said, “the assessment of Zimbabwe food control system emphasizes the country's commitment to stakeholders' participation in food safety."

Read more about the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool  

Read more about FAO’s work in Zimbabwe here