Stakeholders confer over safe production of safe food.

By Francis Maingaila

Tuesday 5 – 04 – 2023, A team of experts in fruit and vegetable sector under the auspices of Consumer Unit Trust Society (CUTS) International met in Lusaka not only to discuss the importance of safer production, handling, storage and marketing practices health food but also to promote the consumption of safer food through knowledge sharing, awareness raising, creating an enabling policy environment that promotes food safety.

The stakeholders that Ministry of agriculture, Kasisi organic, Zambia Alliance for Agro-ecology and Biodiversity, Zambia National
Marketeers Association, Avocado Growers Association, National Nutrition Commissionand the Civil Society Organisations also expressed concern on the influx of banned pesticides and fertilisers, which have flooded the market and affects consumers, due to inadequate monitoring and regulations by concerned authorities. Another major concern for food safety is the highcostof testingfood on the market.
The campaign titled “Promoting Healthy Diets, Food safety, and minimising Food Loss and Waste in Zambia” in partnership with FoodForAfrika.com is supported by Solidaridad Zambia implored Government to works with stakeholders in sensitising consumers on food safety.
CUTS, as a consumer advocacy organisation is concerned about the food safety due to usage of pcontaminated water for production, unhygienic handling, and unregulated pesticide use in the fruits and vegetables particularly in the informal sector where most of the residents in Lusaka source their
goods.
Speaking at the meeting, CUTS Country director Ms. Angela Mulenga emphasized the importance of pregulators controlling food safety as the region demands safety standards to gain consumer confidence.
“The African Continental free trade agreement presents an opportunity for increased export revenue in fruits and vegetable chain but this requires standard development in the value chain,” Ms. Mulenga said.
Ms. Mulenga called for strong partnership and collaboration to strengthen the standards in fruits and vegetables development in Zambia,
Officiating at meeting, Mayor of Lusaka Ms. Chilando Chitangala told the meeting that the council is ready to partner with stakeholders to promote food safety by ensuring that markets operate in a hygienic environment.
“I must admit that sanitation at our big market [Soweto] is bad. Fresh vegetables and fruits go to waste due to lack of refrigerators on a daily basis.” she said.
“We are working with the private sector to build refrigerators at Soweto and open to partnership to address some of the challenges at the market. There is need to work on value chain to preserve our perishable foods such as tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables,” she added.
And presenting a status report on the subject by the project consult Dr. Mungule Chikoye said detecting hazards, which make food unsafe is a difficult exercise, however he appealed to
Government to strengthen safety policies, regulations and surveillance in order to protect consumers from food poisoning and foodborne illnesses that can affect human life.
Additionally, CUTS board member Sajeev Nair called for partnership among stakeholders in actualisation of the Lusaka food policy council, which
will help in addressing some of the food safety challenges.
The stakeholder, including Ministry of agriculture, Kasisi organic, Zambia Alliance for Agro-ecology and Biodiversity, Zambia National
Marketeers Association, Avocado Growers Association, National Nutrition Commissionand the Civil Society Organisations agreed to form partnerships to raise awareness on the importance of food safety.

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