Food safety in the African informal sector - WFSD webinar.pptx

Food safety is a critical concern that significantly impacts human health, economic trade, and sustainable development worldwide. Each year, over 600 million people suffer from foodborne diseases, resulting in approximately 420,000 deaths, as reported by the World Health Organization. These figures are believed to be considerably underestimated, with populations in low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt of this public health crisis due to inadequate food safety control systems. The World Bank estimates that these countries lose about USD 110 billion annually due to productivity losses and medical expenses stemming from foodborne illnesses.

In Africa, about 70 percent of the population relies on domestic informal food markets for their daily sustenance. This highlights the urgent need to address food safety issues within this sector to protect public health and foster sustainable development. Recognising this pressing need, the Africa Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) and the African Union Commission’s Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA), in collaboration with the Food Safety for Africa (FS4Africa) and UP-RISE projects funded by the European Union, organised a timely and crucial webinar titled “Bridging Gaps in the Informal Sector” on 27 June 2024.

The webinar, which coincides with World Food Safety Day 2024 and its theme “Prepare for the Unexpected,” serves as a platform to raise awareness, facilitate knowledge-sharing, and foster collaborations among various stakeholders.

Presentation 4 – Food safety in the African informal sector – Dr. Delia Grace Randolph, Professor of Food Safety Systems, Natural Resources Institute, Joint Appointed Scientist ILRI

1. Food safety in the African informal sector Dr. Delia Grace Randolph, Professor of Food Safety, Natural Resources Institute, UK Joint Appointed Scientist International Livestock Research Institute, Kenya 27 June 2024

2. Context of foodborne diseases Havelaar et al., 2015 Gibb et al., 2019 Burden LMIC Cost estimates for 2016 : > US$ 115 billion Productivity loss 95 Illness treatment 15 Trade loss or cost 5 to 7 Domestic costs may be 20 times trade costs Years of life lost annually for FBD 31 hazards 600 mio illnesses 480,000 deaths 41 million DALYs

3. T raditional food markets Traditional, wet, informal markets: selling dry, fresh (and sometimes live) food all over the world. Wet markets: selling mainly fresh foods such as meat, fish and vegetables, mostly used in Asia. Often poor infrastructure, inadequate health and safety regulation, sell traditional products, traditional processing, not licensed, not tax paid, often some form of compliance with regulation Most FBD from fresh food in informal markets

4. Approaches and solutions to food safety in LMICs Generate evidence: hazards and risks Develop solutions to improve food safety: technological and institutional innovations Focus: informal markets, animal source food (ASF: meat, milk and eggs) but also vegetables; pathogens but also aflatoxin and chemical hazards Consideration: gender, nutrition, animal welfare Risk communication Risk management Risk assessment Risk analysis framework Risk-based approach

5. Three-legged stool

6. Recent & Upcoming GAP analysis to promote uptake of Food Safety Higher Education Curriculum Benchmarks endorsed by East African Community. FAO seminar on curriculum Food Safety Strategy for Africa being operationalized. New WHO strategy Food Safety in Post-Malabo Process Food safety chapter in flagship Annual Trends and Outlook Report for Africa 2023 and covered in 2024 OH meeting Cape Town September 2024

7. Food safety in the African informal sector Dr. Delia Grace Randolph, Professor of Food Safety Systems, Natural Resources Institute, Joint Appointed Scientist ILRI