Food Safety Reform: Learning from the Best

WED 8 December 2021 @14:00-15:15 CET

Watch the recording of the session HERE

Presentation slides - IFC e-Learning Course on New Zealand Food Safety System
Presentation slides - Ukraine feedback on e-Learning course

In many developing countries, food safety usually receives minimal policy attention and investment. It tends to capture national attention only during foodborne disease outbreaks and other crises. According to  The Safe Food Imperative: Accelerating Progress in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, the monetary value of the total productivity loss associated with foodborne disease in low- and middle-income countries is estimated at $95.2 billion a year, and the annual cost of treating foodborne illnesses is estimated at $15 billion.

The experience of countries with strong national food safety systems shows that solutions designed to strengthen consumer protection, stimulate food industry development, and enhance the ability of the industry to rely on innovative approaches tend to ensure better food safety in these countries. However, despite the growing demand, locating consolidated data that support food safety reform and that are detailed, updated, and presented in a clear and useful way is still a challenge.

During this webinar, we will highlight the need for food safety reforms, emphasize the importance of learning from others, and examine what should be considered in seeking to replicate foreign experience. We will share the views of national agencies and international organizations on the importance of improving the role of the public and private sectors in the reform process.

We will use the event to introduce a new IFC learning course “Food Safety Reforms, Learning from the Best: The New Zealand Food Safety System in Case Studies”, which has been developed to support and strengthen food safety systems in emerging markets. Through the analysis of case studies from New Zealand, the course offers an opportunity to learn about the tools and mechanisms that were used to build one of the most advanced food safety systems in the world.

Welcome remarks:

  • Tania Lozansky, Senior Manager, IFC Manufacturing Agribusiness & Services Advisory

Keynote presentations:

Discussants:

  • Diego Varela, Coordinator for International Affairs, Food Safety and Quality Agency, Chile
  • Andrew Edewa, Director of the Standards and SPS  Programme at TradeMark East Africa, Kenya
  • Vladyslava Magaletska, Head of the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection 

Moderator: