Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
The government has set up a Food Advisory Board in addition to implementing other measures and statutory instruments as it steps up efforts to ensure food safety.
The 16-member board, established under the Food and Food Standards Act, will play a crucial role in ensuring the availability of safe and quality products for consumers.
“It is important that you work closely with other government departments to make sure that our consumers are not exposed to unsafe food and our farmers and food manufacturers can export foods to earn the much-needed foreign currency. You must also participate actively and effectively in the international food standards-setting activities of CODEX, WTO SPS Committee, ARSO, and ISO to keep up with international food safety standards requirements,” said the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora.
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Rose Mpofu acknowledged the mammoth task ahead.
“Indeed we are facing a lot of challenges with regard to counterfeit products on the market and when we are looking at products it is very concerning because food is medicine it’s about life and death and when there are counterfeit food products it’s a big danger to the public we are working together with key stakeholders, particularly the ministry of health and child care where we take samples whenever there are suspicions that the food is counterfeit and those found wanting have been disciplined so we thank our ministry of health and child care for taking care of us,” he highlighted.
Chaired by Mr Panganayi Hare of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, the board comprises members from various organisations and stakeholders with a vested interest in food safety control.
