Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Uganda is calling upon East African member states to work towards reducing trade barriers that hamper a health trade in food across the region.
Dr Antonio Querido the FAO country representative in Uganda says Food safety is a critical public health issue in Africa, significantly affecting agricultural competitiveness and trade.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), food borne diseases cause 137,000 deaths and 91 million illnesses annually in Africa, accounting for one-third of the global burden.
Dr Antonio Querido made the remarks during the regional launch of strengthening of food safety standards for trade and public health project in Kampala.
This four-year initiative, aimed at improving food safety standards, will be implemented in Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda after being launched in Uganda during a regional workshop for regional strengthening of food safety standards held from September 3-4, 2024, at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala.