Workshop following the FAO-led food control system assessment in the Bahamas

A group of food safety specialists and other stakeholders involved in the food system in the Bahamas gathered last week at the National Training Agency in Nassau to validate the findings of a 12-month project and develop a strategic plan to improve the food control system in the Bahamas. The three hundred-thousand-euro project funded by FAO, "Assessing National Food Control Systems to Enable Food Safety in the Sub-region,” saw a team of FAO technical experts work with Competent Authorities (CAs) and other leading institutions in the past year to enhance capabilities, strengthen governance and improve strategic planning in the country’s food safety control system.  

During a three-day workshop that ended today, the team of FAO experts met with the senior management and officials from the CAs in the Bahamas to develop recommendations based the findings of the final assessment report. The final report was the culmination of a process which began with a training of 30 Focal Points from the CAs in January 2021 and continued with the collection and revision of data gathered from the various institutions that form part of the food control system of the country. Focal Points from the Bahamas Agricultural Health and Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation (BAIC), and The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI) (check) gathered data related to the current resources, frameworks, infrastructure and safety regulations of the country’s food control system.

Assessment of the national food control system in the Bahamas 

The project was co-signed by the Government of the Bahamas and the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency (CAHFSA) to improve capacities of food safety management towards better health and to support the country’s food export markets. The Bahamas is the first country in the Caribbean region to have conducted the assessment. 

FAO introduced to the Bahamas, the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool, a unique instrument designed to comprehensively assess the national food control system by looking at the entire food chain, including production, distribution, the retail market and the consumers. 

Using a multi-stakeholder approach, FAO worked closely with the CAs for food safety and provided technical support to conduct the assessment, following the Tool’s guidelines and procedures. The strong collaboration across the country’s institutions ensured that the project activities were tailored specifically to the Bahamas.  

The project complements other ongoing activities in the Caribbean meant to strengthen value chains, increase production and resilience, and empower women in food systems towards improved nutrition and increased access to markets.

The final workshop 

Following stakeholder discussions and negotiations, priority areas for improvement were tabled along with an implementation plan to support a strengthened food control system and enhance institutional progress around food safety.  

The workshop was meant to engage key decision makers in ensuring the commitment, specifically by promoting visibility and awareness regarding the assessment results, and the political support needed to implement the strategic action plans effectively. 

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

To learn about FAO’s work in the Bahamas click here

Photo: ©FAO/Zakita Bethel