Caritas Uganda among Entities Decrying “rapidly increasing” Food Safety Concerns

Ms. Mbabazi said Uganda’s maize has been rejected in other nations due to high levels of aflatoxins. The toxins have also contaminated poultry and dairy products, she further said.

The Uganda-based official of the entity that works on trade, fiscal and development related issues aimed at achieving sustainable development and improved livelihoods in Africa added that a ban has been placed on Ugandan fish because of high levels of salmonella.

She said the issues contributing to food unsafety are exacerbated by the low levels of enforcement of standards by the government, which reduces compliance among food assets and in turn builds complacency among consumers.

In the press statement that was shared with ACI Africa, Ms. Mbabazi said Uganda’s government needs “to streamline the food safety enforcement mandate”.

As a way forward, she called for the fast-tracking of the implementation of food safety strategies and measures designed to ensure the control of aflatoxins in the food chain.

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The SEATINI Ugandan official said the cabinet’s resolution to establish the Food, Animal, and Planet Health Authority “should be fast-tracked to avoid duplications of mandates as often seen as a clear-minded and overall responsibility for ensuring food safety should be invested in the authority in collaboration with agencies for support.”

She also called on the Ugandan government “to restore hygiene and sanitary inspection systems to ensure adherence to the existing regulatory measures for food and food products including street food vending establishments, traditional food markets, primary food production centers and food processors and household hygiene and sanitation.”

“We further call for action to strengthen enforcement of Standards by increasing funding for quality assurance agencies through adequate staffing to undertake market surveillance, testing, and certification activities,” Ms. Mbabazi said during the June 4 press conference.

She continued, “The challenges faced by most of the coffee and dairy sector in meeting international quality standards has highlighted the need to improve post-harvest handling and storage.”

“This could involve providing training to farmers on best practices in post-harvest handling, investing in cold storage facilities, the establishment of government-sponsored common user facilities, and improving Market Information Systems to enable farmers to access international markets,” the SEATINI Uganda official said.