1. Strengthening Regulatory Capacity to Enforce Food Safety Regulations Vivian Iwar Graduate Student, Walden University 3rd August, 2012 vivian iwar

2.  Introduction  Objective of Training  Food Safety & Foodborne Diseases  Sanitary & Phyto-sanitary (SPS) Provisions  Challenges of Compliance with SPS Provision  Regional Dimensions of Interventions  Expected Outcomes of Capacity Building Efforts  Further Action  Conclusion Outline of Presentation vivian iwar

3.  ECOWAS 1 is an economic community of 15 Member States in West Africa covering an area of 5.2 million sqm  Population: about 300 000 million 2  Culture of street food vending of a variety of fried, roasted, grilled, cooked and uncooked foods; and drinks is common all over the region  Regional SPS standards and regulations exist, but do not seem to be enforced  Limited institutional and technical capacities seem to hamper enforcement efforts 3  This exposes individuals and communities to environmental health hazards of exposure of such foods and drinks Introduction vivian iwar

4.  Sensitize technical stakeholders on the existence of regional SPS standards and regulations  Facilitate the effective enforcement of SPS standards and regulations  Improve food safety standards of street foods and drinks distributed in the ECOWAS region  Increase consumer confidence in products distributed by street vendors, and thus improve incomes and reduce poverty  Reduce food safety related health problems, and therefore health expenses Objective of Training vivian iwar

5.  1.8 million deaths are reported globally due to food contamination 4  While documented evidence of foodborne disease is limited, the high diarrheal incidence (1.5 million deaths in 2004)indicates a problem in developing countries 4  Up to 30 percent of disease is attributed to foodborne disease in developed countries 4  76 million cases, 325 000 hospitalization, and 5000 deaths from foodborne diseases have been reported in the USA annually 4  Foodborne diseases may be sporadic, but massive outbreaks were reported in the USA (224 000 affected due to Salmonellosis), and China (300 000 due to Hepatitis A) 4 Food Safety & Foodborne Diseases vivian iwar

6.  Foodborne disease may also be due to toxins, unconventional substances (prions), persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals, and physical agents (strands of hair)  Social and economic costs of foodborne diseases have been estimated at US$35 million annually, in addition to lost productivity in the USA 4  Ghana, an ECOWAS Member State has reported 420 000 patients presenting with foodborne infections in emergencies, 65 000 annual deaths (25% children), costing the nation UD$59 million in 2012 5  Cholera has been reported in several ECOWAS MS including Sierra Leone, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria; as well as contamination of beef with anthrax in Ghana, and scamfroid fish poisoning in Senegal 6 Food Safety Contd vivian iwar

7.  Chapter IV, Article 25 of the ECOWAS Treaty mandates food safety & security……, for citizens 1.  Three SPS regulations (C/REG.21/11/10, C/REG.22/11/10, C/REG.23/11/10), and one guideline (C/DIR.1/11/10) on the Safety of Foods, Management of Veterinary Drugs, Functioning of a Regional Veterinary Committee, and Guidelines on Veterinary Pharmacy 1 respectively  The establishment of National SPS/Food Safety Committees in ECOWAS Member countries 1  Prioritization of evidence-based decision making on food safety issues (risk assessment and analysis) ECOWAS SPS Provisions vivian iwar

8.  Inadequate technical capacity to develop and implement SPS activities  Inadequate knowledge of stakeholders on SPS/food safety issues  Low participation in international standards setting processes, and therefore lack of ownership  Inadequate funding of SPS/food safety activities  Lack of institutional collaboration and cooperation on SPS/food safety issues  Absence of infrastructure for standards and quality testing Challenges of Compliance vivian iwar

9.  The spot market nature of food supply chains results in limited coordination of such transactions hampering traceability  Absence of strong institutions, weak public health systems, conflicting public health objectives and trade facilitation, lack of communication, and lack of surveillance and monitoring vivian iwar Challenges Ctnd

10.  Cost savings on shared infrastructure  Funds mobilization for institutional strengthening and technical capacity building support  Sensitization and dissemination of information to decision makers and citizens on food safety issues  Trade facilitation and regional legal frameworks on food safety enabling further integration, a pillar of economic communities  Increased regional coordination and collaboration among Member States on environmental and food safety policies and strategies  Monitoring of implementation and adjudication where needed Need for Regional Interventions vivian iwar

11.  Strengthen capacities to effectively enforce food safety/SPS provisions  Strengthen technical capacity in identifying hazards, and assessing/analyzing risks through surveillance efforts  Improve record keeping of food safety and foodborne incidences  Improve communication with stakeholders (food vendors, consumers, decision makers, others)  Encourage inter-agency cooperation and collaboration Expected Outcomes vivian iwar

12.  Further regional training and sensitization activities  Development of regional data base on food safety and SPS  Sensitization workshop for decision makers, and other relevant stakeholders  The establishment and strengthening of structures for coordinating food safety/foodborne issues such as National Standard and Phyto-sanitary Committees  Training-of-trainer workshops to develop regional capacities Future Actions vivian iwar

13.  Establishment of the regional technical advisory committees as provided for in the food safety/SPS regulations  Mobilization of funding for strengthening food safety infrastructure  Focus on farm-to-table approach in prevention of threats in the supply chain  Development and implementation of HACCP system for street foods, and educate vendors on this  Use of performance-based standards rather than command- control policies 6 Future Actions vivian iwar

14. Actions taken  Sensitization workshop  Creation/Strengthening of NSPSC  Training-of-trainer Workshop Future Actions Further training and sensitization Development of regional Surveillance strategy Sensitization workshop for decision-makers Strengthening of NSPSC Future Development vivian iwar

15.  SPS measures, risk assessment and analysis are critical for food safety and security, and for trade facilitation  These outcomes are important for health and poverty reduction, and therefore worth pursuing  This requires vigilance and the meticulous application of skills, which must be developed through continuous capacity building Conclusion vivian iwar

16.  Economic Community of West African States (2010). Harmonized Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary Regulations. Sixty-fifth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers-Final Report, ECW/CM LXIV/19. www.ecowas.intwww.ecowas.int  Magalhaes, J. (2010). Regional SPS Frameworks and Strategies in Africa. Report for Standards and Trade Development Facilities. www.standardsfacility.org/files/publicationswww.standardsfacility.org/files/publications  Todd, E. C. D., & Narrod, C. (2006). Understanding the Links between Agriculture and Health: Agriculture, Food Safety & Foodborne Diseases. 2020 Vision for Food, Agric & Environment www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pub/2020/focus/focus13 www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/pub/2020/focus/focus13  Yeboah, L. (2010). Foodborne Diseases on the Increase (Graphic Business). www.lucyadoma.blog- spot.com/2010  World Health Organization (2012). Food Safety and Foodborne Diseases. www.who.int/foodsafety/foodborne_disease/en retrieved 19/7/12 www.who.int/foodsafety/foodborne_disease/en References vivian iwar

17. Ladies and Gentlemen, Thank you for your kind attention Courtesy vivian iwar