Assessing food safety system in sub-Saharan countries: An overview of key issues

Developing countries, including sub-Saharan Africa, are becoming more involved in international food trade. There is a shift from the traditional production of cash crops and raw materials to producing processed or semi-processed food products. This shift has brought in new challenges in order to cope with international trends in food regulations and standards. They include upgrading their legislation, together with the integration of laws and regulations in a comprehensive and user-friendly document, the harmonization of the responsibilities of multiple institutions dealing with food safety issues, the reorganization of inconsistent and selective enforcement, the non-use of risk assessment to develop standards, the non-existence or insufficient number of efficient accredited control laboratories, the confusion between quality and safety and the lack of a framework of collaboration between governmental institutions and the food industry. This paper examines the current situation prevailing in many sub-Saharan countries and tries to draw lessons and suggestions of how to fill in the gaps. Several advantages are linked to a well-established and efficient food safety system, including decrease of food losses, consumer’s health protection, consumers satisfaction and increased food business competitivity with impact on job creations and poverty alleviation. In a situation of limited resources that prevails in sub-Saharan countries, a sustainable food safety system could be implemented when roles are shared between all main stakeholders, government, industry, consumers, donors and NGOs.