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FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund Fourth meeting of the Codex Trust Fund Advisory Group

28 September 2017 10h00-12h30

German Room FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy

The fourth meeting of the FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund Advisory Group (AG)1 was held at the Headquarters of FAO on 28 September 2017. The agenda for the fourth meeting is attached in Annex 1. The list of participants at the fourth meeting is attached in Annex 2. The meeting was chaired by Dr Guilherme Antonio Costa Jr, Chairperson, Codex Alimentarius Commission. Session 1 was designed to give a short briefing to new members on the modus operandi of the Advisory Group including the roles and terms of reference of AG members and membership. Members were reminded of meeting frequency, reporting and some highlights of past meetings were given. In Session 2 members were invited to give additional comments on the draft indicators for the monitoring and evaluation framework. Donor representatives highlighted the importance of M&E for donors. A number of valuable inputs were given including the following:

Need to ensure coherence between the Codex strategic plan and the CTF M&E

framework, particularly with regard to the determining how effective engagement in

Codex as supported by the CTF manifests itself in the work of Codex.

Fewer and simple indicators is usually better. Ambition of the M&E should be

proportionate to what can actually be measured and used.

Put the emphasis on measuring outcomes, rather than inputs or outputs, and include

both quantitative and qualitative dimensions.

Consider including case studies or stories/narratives that show outcomes and/or

impact. These can be used to show donors and others what can be accomplished

with a relatively small amount of money and can set an example for other countries

in what they can achieve.

Continue to use the evolving success stories from CTF1 to show the longer term

effects while waiting for the first outcomes from CTF2.

1 The Advisory Group was established as part of the governance structure of the new Codex Trust Fund

(CTF2). The Advisory Group operates at a strategic level to ensure that the views of key stakeholders can be taken into consideration in the operations of CTF2 and has the following terms of reference: 1) Provide strategic advice on focus and implementation of CTF2; 2) Provide advice on the procedures and working methods of CTF2; 3) Share information on other relevant activities and evolving needs of Codex. The Advisory Group consists of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), delegates representing Regional Coordinators at a CCEXEC session, and one representative from up to three CTF donor countries chosen by lottery. The Chairperson of the CAC acts as ex-officio Chairperson of the Advisory Group.

Fourth meeting of the Codex Trust Fund Advisory Group – Rome, 28 September 2017

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The M&E framework is very important for eligible countries as it shows them what

they should be aiming at and will help them design their robust projects.

Think about how people participate beyond just submission of written comments e.g.

through participation in e-Working Groups. Capturing only the number of e.g. written

comments at Steps 3/6 might not be enough. It is the quality of the written

comments that counts.

Indicators can be refined further and there is a need to take into consideration

differences between countries e.g. inclusion of a budget line for Codex activities in a

national budget may not be necessary for all countries.

Some indicators could be more qualitative in nature, but there might also be bigger

challenges to get substantive information.

FAO/WHO thanked participants for their substantive input and for their willingness to provide further inputs after the meeting and as the M&E framework continued to progress. In terms of impact indicators it is important to avoid having goals that are beyond the scope of CTF i.e. the impact on trade and health is difficult to solely attribute to CTF activities. It was felt that it is better to focus on high level visibility with sustainable commitment to show high level commitment and attitudinal change. One member of the Advisory Group proposed that a small group of interested members might sit together after the meeting to give further input on possible priority indicators for outputs since time was short for the session2. In Session 3 the CTF Administrator gave a brief overview of some of the key findings from the fundraising consultancy. These included:

• If more funding is not secured, it will be necessary to cut back the programme to be able to continue to deliver.

• An increase in time/resources for fundraising & level of contacts is needed. • The unique selling points of the programme must be clearly articulated in order to

“stand out” with donors and secure funding • Clear impacts in communities must be communicated, particularly in light of the lack

of direct impacts of the programme on health & trade. • It is necessary to show how CTF is complementary and/or working with others. • ODA funding through current contacts in donor countries best first target.

The Steering Committee will discuss the report in-depth in their next meeting and make decisions on the recommendations of the report and next steps. A redacted version of the report will be made available to AG members on a confidential basis and not for further dissemination. An executive summary will be made available for the general public and posted on the CTF website. An update was given on the funding situation since the last meeting. The USA through the umbrella agreement with FDA had confirmed a contribution of $150,000 to CTF for 2017-2018.

2 A small group of members continued to give input after the meeting for the consideration of the CTF Secretariat, FAO

and WHO.


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Members of the Advisory Group made suggestions on steps that might be taken to raise the visibility of the Codex Trust Fund and help secure funding:

• Harness the power of political communication by holding, for example, powerful and

high level opening ceremonies for the CAC to help get high level political support.

• Showing how Codex Trust Fund capacity-building activities are complementary to

other Codex capacity-building is important to donors so they can show how

taxpayers contributions are being used most cost effectively.

• Use high level advocacy to speak for the Codex Trust Fund e.g. through high level

delegations to visit past, present and potential donor

countries/institutions/foundations.

• Look at the potential to contribute in middle income countries in the Codex regions.

India stated that a new contribution to the Codex Trust Fund was in its final stages. Chile announced that they would be making a small contribution to the Codex Trust Fund and they are inviting other countries in the region to follow suit. Discussions were under way with Mexico and Argentina in this regard. Chile as regional coordinator for the Latin America and Caribbean region floated the proposal to send a letter to coordinators in other regions to invite them to contact middle income countries in their regions to see if they could make a contribution to the Codex Trust Fund. Chile invited other regional coordinators to work on the letter together to give it more weight. Such contributions were seen as symbolic but important in that bigger donors would see that there was a broad-based commitment to ensuring the perennity and success of the Codex Trust Fund. The Codex Chair announced that he stands ready to sign such a letter with Chile. Session 4 provided an opportunity to exchange information on countries that were planning on submitting applications and on the application process. No applications had been submitted to date. The regional coordinators shared information they had on countries/groups of countries which were planning on submitting. The FAO representative reminded Advisory Group members of the different steps of the application process. Learning from Round 1 had been taken into consideration for Round 2 and this had resulted in the simplification and streamlining of the application form to make it both more user friendly and also easier to assess by the Technical Review Group (TRG). A number of changes had been made to the scoring sheet, and a guidance document had been prepared for use by the TRG, and the consultant who will assist the TRG in their work, to ensure objectivity and consistency in the review of applications. Timelines for Round 2 are as follows:

• 15 October 2017 – Deadline for on-line submissions.

• 15 October-30 October – 2 week period for pre-screening of applications by the CTF

Secretariat.

• 1 November 2017-17 January 2018 – Consultant and Technical Review Group

(TRG) members assess applications. TRG makes recommendations to the Steering

Committee (SC).

• 22 January-1 February 2018 – SC deliberates on Round 2 applications and makes

decisions.


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• Early February 2018 – Final decisions by SC on countries to be supported from

Round 2 communicated.

Session 5 is a standing agenda item that allows for updates on planned Codex capacity building. The CTF Administrator shared information with members on the initiative underway in the Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP) to map and analyze the initiatives, projects and resources devoted to food safety capacity building in the Codex African region. AG members were given a brief overview and a summary note prepared by the team undertaking the survey was included in the handouts for the meeting and has been reproduced in Annex 3. AG members welcomed the information on the GFSP project. AG members shared the following information on Codex capacity-building:

• The vice-chair from Lebanon Eid called attention to the UNIDO initiative on food

safety being carried out in some countries. One of the aims of the project was to

strengthen and improve participation in Codex and Lebanon was the coordinator of a

working group on this. The stand ready to provide additional information to

demonstrate how CTF and the UNIDO initiative are working toward the same

objectives.

• The representative of the EC reminded members of the ongoing Better Training for

Safer Food (BTSF) initiative which included specific training sessions on Codex. The

next one will take place from 9-12 October in Bangkok for countries of the Codex

Asian region. Most countries will be present and there are places for two

representatives from each country.

• The coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean announced that the capacity-

building and institutional training for Codex in five Caribbean countries will soon be

completed. The outputs include a procedural manual and a strategic plan for Codex

in each participating country.

• The Codex Chair called attention to the US supported colloquia that had taken place

in Senegal involving 37 countries in the African region, and in Buenos Aires involving

17 countries. Regional institutions had been involved in both with IICA in the Latin

America and the Caribbean region and AU-IBAR in the African region.

• National Codex capacity building was taking place in India. A workshop had been

organized with the Tea Board of India to brief them on Codex-related matters, how

to participate in Codex, and Codex pesticide standards which is of particular interest

to the tea industry. Industry associations in India are also teaming up with

educational institutions to run quiz programmes in schools on food safety as a way of

building awareness of food safety and Codex among future generations.

The CTF Administrator, FAO and WHO welcomed these inputs. They highlighted how this information could be used to identify synergies and complementarity between Codex capacity-building initiatives. Examples included:

• Using up-to-date information from mock session being run in the BTSF

programme to inform the Codex e-learning package which is currently being

revised and updated.


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• Holding discussions between the UNIDO working group on strengthening and

improving participation in Codex and the Codex Trust Fund to see what ideas

and learning could be exchanged and used by both.

• Exploring how the procedural manuals and Codex strategic plans developed in

the five Caribbean countries, and those being developed by the CTF-supported

projects, could be used as examples for other countries wishing to do the same.

Under “Other Business” AG members were informed that the term of donor country representatives would expire in April 2018. A lottery would be held similar to the one held in April 2016, by correspondence, or on the sidelines of an appropriate Codex meeting. The CTF Secretariat will ascertain eligible donor countries, organize the lottery, and inform Codex member countries.

The next meeting of the Advisory Group will take place in conjunction with the 75th Session of CCEXEC in Rome in June 2017 on the report translation day. Exact dates for CCEXEC75 are still to be decided and AG members will be informed in due course. A suggestion was made to include common areas that are being picked up in applications on the agenda of the next meeting. These should be from both successful and unsuccessful applications. This will help with exploring what manner of in-kind contribution might be useful to address common needs expressed by eligible countries.

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Annex 1 - Agenda

Chairperson: Dr Guilherme Antonio Costa Jr, Chairperson, Codex Alimentarius Commission

Welcoming remarks – Chairperson, FAO/WHO Session 1 – Information for new members

1. Modus operandi of the Advisory Group - Presentation by the CTF Secretariat

a. Role, terms of reference and membership of the Advisory Group;

b. Meeting frequency and reporting

c. Highlights of past meetings

2. Questions/discussion

Session 2 – Additional comments on the CTF results framework and draft indicators to be used for M&E Session 3 – Updates on funding

Summary of recommendations from fundraising consultancy study

Updates on current and potential funding discussions at regional and global levels

Session 4 – Information on Round 2 applications

3. Information from CTF Secretariat on countries/groups of countries which have submitted

4. Inputs from regional coordinators on countries/groups of countries planning to submit

5. Information on assessment process for applications

Session 5 - Updates on planned Codex capacity building

Information on survey being carried out by GFSP in African region

Updates from regional coordinators and other AG members

Other business Conclusion

Summary of key points

Next meeting


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Annex 2 -List of participants

Canada (Donor representative) Ms Mae Johnson Bureau of Policy, Intergovernmental and International Affairs Health Canada, Government of Canada 251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway AL 2204C Ottawa Canada Tel: 613 957-8417 Email: [email protected] Brazil (Codex Chair) Mr Guilherme Costa Secretariat of Agribusiness International Relations (SRI) Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA) Esplanada dos Ministerios Bl.D Brasília Brazil Tel: +55 61 3218-3468 Email: [email protected] Chile (Coordinator for LAC) Dr Michel Leporati Néron Agencia Chilena para la Inocuidad y Calidad Alimentaria, ACHIPIA Ministerio de Agricultura Nueva York 17, piso 4 Santiago Chile Tel: +56 2 27979900 Email: [email protected] European Union (Donor representative) – (for Mr Francisco Tristante) Ms. Barbara Moretti European Commission DG Sante Rue Froissart 101 1049 Brussels, Belgium Email: [email protected] India (Coordinator for ASIA) Mr Sunil Bakshi Food Safety and Standards Authority of India FDA Bhawan, Near Bal Bhawan New Delhi India Tel: +91-11-23237439 Email: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]






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Indonesia (Codex Vice-chair) Prof Purwiyatno Hariyadi National Codex Committee of Indonesia Southeast Asian Food & Agricultural Science & Technology (SEAFAST) Center Bogor Agricultural University IPB Campus, DARMAGA Bogor 16680 Indonesia Tel: (+62) 811110351 Email: [email protected] Iran (Coordinator for Near East) Dr Mohammad Hossein Shojaee Aliabadi Institute of Standards & Industrial Research of IRAN Director and Laboratory Manager Faroogh Life Sciences Research Laboratory No. 96, Parcham Street Tohid Square Tehran Iran (Islamic Republic of) Tel: +98 912 159 17 66 Email: [email protected] Kenya (Coordinator for AFRICA) Dr Kimutai Maritim Ministry of Agriculture, Veterinary and Fisheries Nairobi Nairobi Kenya Tel: +254 722601653 Email: [email protected] Lebanon (Codex Vice-chair) Eng Mariam Eid Agro industries Department Ministry of Agriculture Beirut Lebanon Tel: 009613567542 Email: [email protected] Malaysia (Donor representative) Ms Norrani Eksan Food Safety and Quality Division Ministry of Health Malaysia Level 4, Menara Prisma No 26, Jalan Persiaran Perdana, Precint 3 Putrajaya Malaysia Tel: +603 88850794 Email: [email protected]







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United Kingdom (Codex Vice-chair) Mr Steve Wearne Policy and Science Group UK Food Standards Agency 125 Aviation House London WC2B 6NH United Kingdom Tel: +447795 353580 Email: [email protected] Vanuatu (Coordinator for NASWP) - (ABSENT) Mr Timothy Tekon Tumukon Biosecurity Ministry of Agriculture Email: [email protected] Phone: +678 23519 or 24128 FAO/WHO Secretariat Dr Renata Clarke Food Safety and Quality Unit FAO/Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 5705 2010 Email: [email protected] Dr Kazuaki Miyagishima WHO/Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses (FOS) 20, Avenue Appia Geneva 27 Switzerland Tel.: +41 22 791 2773 Email: [email protected] FAO/WHO Codex Trust Fund Codex Trust Fund Mrs Catherine Mulholland WHO/Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses (FOS) 20, Avenue Appia Geneva 27 Switzerland Tel: +41 22 791 3080 Email: [email protected]







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Codex Secretariat Mr Tom Heilandt Codex Alimentarius Commission Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 5705 4384 Email: [email protected] Ms Annamaria Bruno Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Italy Tel: +39 06570 56254 Email: [email protected] Ms Verna Carolissen-Mackay Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme FAO Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 5705 5629 Email: [email protected] Mr David Massey Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN Viale delle Terme di Caracalla Rome Italy Tel: +39 06 570 53465 Email: [email protected]






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Annex 3 – Summary of GFSP African Food Safety Capacity Building – Mapping Current Efforts to Improve Targeting and Coordination

Summary of Project The Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP) is a public-private initiative, hosted at the World Bank, and dedicated to promoting and supporting global cooperation for food safety capacity building. GFSP convenes stakeholders, assesses food safety systems, and proposes systems-based interventions to prioritize and address specific food sector needs. The overarching goal of this mapping project is improvement in the quantity and quality of food safety capacity building in sub-Saharan Africa. It will contribute to this goal by providing information and analysis that public and private institutions can use to better target, prioritize, coordinate and evaluate their capacity building efforts. The project is being conducted in consultation with the African Union (AU) Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, AU-IBAR, FAO, WHO, OIE, UNIDO, the Standards and Trade Development Facility at the WTO, USAID, the Canadian Food Safety Inspection Agency (CFIA). It has funding support from CFIA, Cargill, Mars and Walmart. The project seeks to map and analyze the initiatives, projects and resources devoted to food safety capacity building by a wide range of public organizations, including multilateral development organizations, such as the World Bank, the UN agencies, and the STDF; major bilateral donor agencies in the US, Europe, and Japan; the African Union, the African Development Bank, and the African regional economic communities. Major food industry capacity building initiatives will also be covered, such as those sponsored by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the GMA Science and Education Foundation, Partners in Food Solutions, and company foundations. A central theme of the project is to stimulate dialogue and partnership among donor agencies and national governments and between the public sector and the wide range of private sector stakeholders – farmers, processors, traders and retailers – who have a stake in food safety and the success of the African food system. The findings will be presented in a variety of settings and formats. The project is directed by Michael R. Taylor, as a consultant to the Global Food Safety Partnership (GFSP), in close collaboration with Dr. Delia Grace at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, Kenya. Dr. Corey Watts is the lead researcher. Background and Need Food safety is a fundamental social value and challenge worldwide, substantially affecting public health, food security and the productivity of the population. The World Health Organization estimates that globally 420,000 people die and 600 million fall ill annually, with the highest incidence per capita in Africa (totaling 91,000 deaths and 127 million illnesses). The heaviest burden of foodborne disease falls on the most vulnerable populations, including children under 5. Much needs to be done to reduce the prevalence of illness and mitigate its health and economic impacts.


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Assurances of food safety are also a prerequisite for market access and commercial success in today’s global food system. African governments, the African Union (through CAADP and the Malabo Declaration) and the United Nations (through the Sustainable Development Goals) have all recognized the central role that market-driven agriculture and value added agri-businesses must play in Africa’s development and in the struggle to achieve food security for all its people. In recognition of the importance of food safety, the world is moving towards elevated and harmonized food safety standards that reflect modern best practices, a process that will continue in response to consumer and market demands and that will affect farmers and food companies worldwide. This elevation of standards potentially puts at a competitive disadvantage, however, food producers in developing countries where the capacity to meet those standards is often lacking. For smallholder farmers in particular, market incentives are not yet in place to offset the cost of improvements to food safety. In many African countries, the capacity gap includes lack of effective public policies and institutions to provide regulatory oversight; insufficient extension services, research, and other technical assistance for producers; too few trained people to carry out food safety activities in both the public sector and in small-and-medium-size enterprises (SME’s); and lack of cold chain facilities, food testing laboratories and other physical infrastructure. Many organizations in the international development community, national governments, and the food industry recognize these gaps and are supporting capacity building to fill them. Most also realize that public-private collaborative efforts on food safety capacity building are essential. The capacity building need in Africa nevertheless far outstrips current efforts. This makes it imperative to better target, prioritize and coordinate public and private efforts and find synergies that can help maximize the food safety and development benefits of donor investments. This project is intended to strengthen the foundation for that effort. Key Project Elements and Output The mapping project includes web-based research to collect publicly available information on the African food safety capacity building programs and projects of almost 30 donor organizations plus several illustrative private sector efforts. This data collection will be followed by direct engagement with experts at the key donor and industry organizations to identify data gaps and ensure sound interpretation of the available data. The project will also include structured interviews with 40-50 key experts and stakeholders with direct knowledge of current programs, what’s working well, and where there may be opportunities for improvement. Based on the collected data and interviews, the project report will provide: Brief descriptions of key donor and implementing institutions and their roles and initiatives; Estimates of the current level of funding by activity purpose, type and region, to the extent permitted by available data; Perspectives of interviewees on the strengths and weaknesses of current programs; and


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Recommendations for improvement in capacity building programs and next steps in building a better integrated, public-private collaborative approach in Africa. Throughout the project, staff will consult with an advisory panel that includes both international and Africa-based food safety experts from the public and private sectors and academia. Project Outcomes and Impacts The project will contribute to its overarching goal of improving the quantity and quality of food safety capacity building in sub-Saharan Africa by: Giving visibility to the case for investment in African food safety capacity; Providing information and analysis that donor organizations can use to better target, prioritize, coordinate and evaluate their capacity building efforts; Helping national governments in Africa identify potential sources of funding and collaboration to improve food safety capacity in their countries; Stimulating public-private collaboration by identifying common interests and opportunities for synergy between public and private efforts; and Providing a resource for possible country-led projects to improve capacity in the context of national food safety systems or particular markets or value chains. For more information, contact: Michael R. Taylor Dr. Delia Grace GFSP/World Bank Consultant International Livestock Research Institute [email protected] [email protected] Dr. Corey Watts GFSP/World Bank Consultant [email protected]




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