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11th
June 2008
Nagu stresses food safety, quality for
market access
The Minister for Industry, Trade and
Marketing, Hon. Dr. Mary Nagu has
challenged actors in the food industry
to ensure food safety and quality for
market access.
Dr. Nagu was speaking during the opening
of a one day awareness seminar for
policy makers, on the role of food
quality and safety in trade and
agro-industry context, which took place
at the Movenpick Royal Palm Hotel in Dar
es Salaam, Tuesday, June 10, 2008.
She said issues of food safety and
quality are paramount in ensuring market
access, adding that the absence of these
two components constitutes a barrier to
market access and trade.
“As developing countries we need to
build an infrastructure for food safety
and quality to win market access. On the
other hand, ensuring food quality and
safety is ensuring food security,” said
Dr. Nagu.
She said the government will follow the
recommendations given by experts and
stakeholders in the industry including
quality assurance bodies such as TBS to
ensure local players enjoy international
market access.
Several papers were presented in the
seminar. TBS Director Mr. Charles
Ekelege presented a paper on the
importance of standards, metrology,
conformity assessment and accreditation
infrastructure in exports.
He mentioned the three pillars of
knowledge for developing a quality
infrastructure as metrology,
standardization and conformity
assessment.
“The three pillars are vital. Provision
of assistance aimed at strengthening the
quality infrastructures is necessary for
sustainable development and to enable
developing countries to effectively
participate in global trading,” he said.
Dr. Roshan Abdallah from Tropical
Pesticides Research Institute (TPRI)
presented a paper on making trade access
opportunities a reality in Tanzania,
while Mr. K. Mtambo from the Ministry of
Agriculture, Food Security and
Cooperatives presented a paper on
meeting the challenge of Sanitary and
Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) compliance.
Other presenters were Ms. Khadijah
Kassachoon, United Nations Industrial
Development Organization (UNIDO)
Regional Project Coordinator who
presented on Regional Cooperation on SPS
issues and Ms Theresia Hubert on
Harmonization and Strengthening of the
National Food Control System. Ms Theresia
Hubert is Principal Standards Officer at
TBS and the UNIDO National Project
Coordinator
The seminar, facilitated by UNIDO, drew
participants from, among others, TBS,
TPRI, Sokoine University of Agriculture
(SUA), Ministry of Industry, Trade and
Marketing, Ministry of Agriculture, Food
Security and Cooperatives, Tanzania
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture (TCCIA) and Tanzania Food
and Drugs Authority (TFDA).
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