Africa- CARE calls for more attention on food insecurity in Africa
16 May 2011
Trust.org [edited]
CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization, calls for the international community to respond to the current and recurring food insecurity in countries in the Horn of Africa. Almost eight million people are severely affected by an ongoing drought. Chronic vulnerability, poverty, social injustice and climate change are all responsible for recurring food insecurity in the Horn of Africa according to CARE’s Regional Emergency Coordinator for East Africa. The drought could have negative long-term and immediate effects such as the outbreak of diseases, especially in areas with inadequate hygiene conditions; death of livestock; conflict over resources in pastoral areas and reduced purchasing power in the affected areas. CARE offices in the Horn of Africa are responding to the situation by providing safe drinking water, hygiene and sanitation, nutrition and livelihood protection as well as livestock interventions in order to help families respond to drought conditions and mitigate the impact of food insecurity.


Ghana- Disregard for safety standards by food producers

12 May 2011
Joy News [edited] [BITES]
Investigations by the Food and Drugs Board have revealed a number of food producers compromising safety standards. Apart from unhygienic facilities, the FDB also found that a higher number of staff lack knowledge about personal hygiene and food safety practices. Officials have stated that they are now training food and water producers in the many regions. The Deputy Chief Executive of the FDB stated that many of the food production did not keep any records on quality management systems, which could increase the public health burden and government health bill needlessly.

Africa- Governments promoting coordinated approach to food safety issues
May 2011 Agritrade News [edited]
Across Africa, the growing importance of promoting a coordinated national and regional approach to ensuring food safety is gaining recognition. In West Africa, the government of Nigeria has formed a multi-disciplinary National Food Safety Management Committee that will be responsible for food safety and quality control measures. This follows frequent cases of Nigerian food exports being rejected at the point of entry to overseas markets on health or quality grounds. The initiative follows a conference supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the Hazard and Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) process. Across the continent, work is under way in the East African Community to harmonize food safety standards. It is hoped that closer regional harmonization of standards will help to restrict the volume of poor quality food in circulation, while at the same time making trade easier, by promoting recognition of common standards by all member states.

Ghana- No sanitation facilities in 91% of homes in Accra

22 Jan. 2011
Myjoyonline.com [EatSafe Ghana] [edited]
Ninety-one per cent of all dwellings in the national capital are without ‘private places of convenience’ according to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA). The startling figures released by the Public Health Unit of the assembly also revealed that the situation had created a heavy dependence on public toilets and unapproved places for the disposal of human waste in the city. AMA has embarked on a month-long house-to-house inspection exercise to serve notices to those houses without the facilities and the owners are expected to provide the facilities by the end of September this year.