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Food safety booklet launched

The Ministry of Agriculture Water and Forestry launched the Namibia Food Safety Policy booklet which is a policy instrument designed to ensure food safety, for all consumers in Namibia.

The policy proposes the establishment of a National Food Safety Council as the main official coordination mechanism of food safety matters involving five ministries: the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development,and the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development.
Furthermore, the policy proposes the establishment of specific competent authorities on key foods such as meat and other animal products, food of crop origin, fish and fishery products, as well as processed foods and consumer food safety.
Minister of Agriculture Water and Forestry Hon. John Mutorwa said, “On 10 February 2015, a joint meeting of the five Permanent Secretaries of the mentioned line ministries discussed its implementation, and also approved a draft Food Safety Bill in line with the policy.”
“The Food Safety Bill will be introduced to Parliament by the Minister of Health and Social Services at a later stage. This policy document therefore represents a true example of coordination, consultation and cooperation between ministries, as well as with FAO, in the development of a policy and legal mechanism, to ensure food safety in Namibia and beyond,” he added.
Consultations of the policy frame work date back to as far as 2007, subsequently the final draft of the Namibia Food Safety Policy was approved by Cabinet on 15 July 2014.

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