emrc - henry njalla quan cdc

FOOD QUALITY, STANDARDS

AND TRACEABILITY

BY

HENRY NJALLA QUAN

GENERAL MANAGER

CAMEROON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

AgriBusiness Forum 2010 | 3 – 6 October 2010 | Kampala, Uganda.

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

Introduction

Food Quality Concerns

Food Standards and Regulations

Traceability Issues

Difficulties of Implementing Food Quality,

Standards and Traceability in African

Way Forward

Conclusions

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


INTRODUCTION Proliferation in Food Concerns Terminology

o Quality-Assurance

o Standards-Product integrity

o Traceability-Tracking

Food Safety across the Food Production Chain

Events Leading to Increasing Interest on Food Safety (bird

flu, mad cow disease, foot & mouth disease...)

Global Concerns – International Trade and Health issues

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


FOOD QUALITY

Meaning is Dynamic but should include

“ musts” and “wants”

• The Need for Food Quality Concerns

Reduced Penalty Risk, Risk of Food Safety,

Bad Reputation & Operating Costs

• Quality Assurance and Certification Schemes

(QAS) put in place, play significant role

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


FOOD STANDARDS

Entails Meeting Minimum Quality Norms

Programmed Inspections Carried Out to Ensure

Standards are Respected

Also Provide Advice and Investigate Complains

There are Today as Many Food Standards

Boards as there are QAS

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


FOOD TRACEABILITYThe ability to track any food for consumption and

inputs through the production process

• Induces Improve Management, Saftey & Quality

Awareness and Assurance Systems

• Actual Need for Traceability within the Agricultural

Industry in Africa

• Process of Implementation of Traceability Measures

• Traceability tools and labels

• Combats counterfeiting

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


DIFFICULTIES OF IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS

PRACTICES AND POLICIES IN AFRICA

1. Africa Still Faces Food Insecurity (Aggravated

By Poverty) and Emphasis are More on What

to Eat

2. Quality Assurance, Standardization and

Traceability are Complex

3. Costs Associated with Various Practices and

Policies are Enormous

4. Too Many Similar Certification Requirements

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


DIFFICULTIES OF IMPLEMENTING VARIOUS

PRACTICES AND POLICIES IN AFRICA - 2

5. Too Many Agencies Working in Parallel

6. National Laws not in Harmony With some of

the Requirements

7. Illiteracy and Low Education Levels are still

an Issue

8. Low Level of Technology in Africa

9. Local/Rural Market Problems, etc.

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


THE WAY FORWARD

• Rapid Access to Information

• Awareness Creation

• Improving on the Ability to Trace Forward And

Backward

• A Gradual Process

• Role of Government Agencies

• Adopting Polluters Pay Philosophy of

Environmentalists

• Partnership and Networking

• Developing and implementing Local Norms

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


CONCLUSION• Like Globalization, Food Quality, Standards and

Traceability Exist and Africans have no Option.

• The New Partnership for Africa’s Development

(Nepad) should Intensify Efforts in this Direction to

Ensure a Concerted Action in our Favour.

• Businesses in Africa must Concert Regularly and

more Frequently to Address Issues of Quality

Standards and Traceability in the Food Production

Chain .

• Food For Thought : Land availability & Management

Banana

Rubber

Palm Oil


THANK YOU FOR YOUR

KIND ATTENTION

PRESENTED BY

HENRY NJALLA QUAN

GENERAL MANAGER

CAMEROON DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

BOTA – LIMBE, CAMEROON

TEL : 00 237 77701903 / 00 237 3333 2251

FAX : 00 237 3333 2680

EMAIL : [email protected]