Future of Food Safety

During the week of 11 September stakeholders, experts, and representatives from ministries across the country’s food safety chain gathered in Victoria to review findings and recommendations of an assessment of Seychelles food control system conducted by the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).  Pivotal to the future success of food control was the high-level approval and endorsement by officials from relevant ministries of the recommendations and a shared vision, committing to implement the strategic action plan, promote synergies and engage donors.

Mr. Flavien Joubert, Minister of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment said:

“The knowledge and skills gained by the workshop participants as well as the activities that will follow will provide us with the right methodology and tools...but above all with the right team to fix the gaps identified.”

The outcomes of the assessment and the workshop will help shape the future of food safety in the Seychelles.

Strengthening of Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control Project

The workshop is the culmination of a nine-month FAO assessment of the Seychelles food control system. It forms part of "Strengthening of Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control,” a five million Euro project funded by the European Union which began in November of 2022 to provide technical support and work with competent authorities and other leading institutions in 11 Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Member Countries. The project is designed to build capabilities, strengthen governance and improve strategic planning around two main components: food safety and plant health.

The initiative aligns with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Policy Framework for Africa, a framework developed by the African Union (AU) laying the foundations for trade opportunities among AU Member States. This project is implemented in close partnership with the African Commission Division for Rural Economy and Agriculture (AUC DARBE).

Assessment of the national food control system in the Seychelles

Project activities in the Seychelles began with an inception training at the end of 2022. A team of food safety experts from FAO then worked closely with 22 focal points from local competent authorities for food safety and relevant stakeholders to gather and analyse data and information across various parts of the system.  The next stage involved field visits and interviews by the FAO team. They reviewed the data, conducted a strategic analysis with the focal points and produced a final report on the status of the country’s food safety control system and recommendations to improve it.

Pivotal to the project was the introduction of the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool, a unique instrument developed by both United Nations agencies to assess the national food control system in a comprehensive manner, by looking at the entire food chain. This includes production, distribution, the retail market and the consumers.

Ultimately, the assessment aims to assist the Seychelles in adhering to international standards that will allow greater harmonization and trade in the region.

Similar assessments were successfully completed in Comoros in August and in Kenya earlier in September. Strategic workshops are scheduled to take place throughout the coming months as the assessments reach their final stages across the participating countries.  Eswatini has concluded its assessment and held a final workshop on the week of 19 September. The more countries that use the FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool and complete food control assessments will contribute to greater adherence to international standards, increased harmonization and more trade in the region. 

Find out more about:

FAO in Seychelles

Food Control System Assessment Tool