17 May 2017

Training of trainers on risk-based inspection for port health inspectors in Botswana is vital in ensuring safe provision of food to Botswana citizens.

Giving welcome remarks at the workshop on risk based inspection for port health inspectors recently, assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative for Botswana and Zimbabwe programmes, Mr David Mfote said such training were funded by FAO through funds from the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF).

The ASTF, he said, funded by the government of Angola, is a regional initiative for promoting sanitary and phytosanitary measures in the productive sectors of plant and animal health, food safety, forestry and fisheries as well as aquaculture.

Since its inception in 2014, FAO has supported quite a number of regional and country-specific trainings to strengthen controls of food safety, plant and animal pests as well as diseases for agricultural productivity and trade in Southern Africa.

He highlighted that there was need to continually strengthen food control systems on the risk-based approach.

Mr Mfote noted that central to this approach was the identification and prioritisation of food safety risks to the population of a given country and the adoption of cost effective control measures to minimise risks to consumer health and welfare, food trade and market access.

Further, he said adopting risk-based approaches often required a shift in the approach of both public and private sectors to food safety control, and has implications for infrastructure, technical knowledge and training, and the use of food control resources.

In addition, he said the provision of capacity building on risk based approach is core element of FAO Programme on food safety and quality and also a cornerstone of FAO strategic objective 4 of improved food quality and safety of food at all stages of the food chain.

He stated that FAO technical support was based on the conviction that consumers had the right to expect that the food available on domestic markets be of the expected quality.

He noted that in Botswana, FAO worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Wellness as well as other government authorities and stakeholders to ensure that ‘this expectation is met’.

For her part, director of health services, Dr Khumo Seipone said FAO and Botswana collaborated to ensure success of the programme.

She noted that ‘this important event will ensure that there is clean, safe and wholesome food in Botswana’.

Meanwhile, Food Safety and Nutrition officer for FAO at the United Nations, Mr Farayi Mungofa said the workshop aimed to gather information on the current status of food control capacity in Botswana and would also act as a preliminary assessment to identify specific gaps and areas for improvement to strengthen food control. ENDS