AFRICA – A European Union-funded project has concluded after three years, recording progress in strengthening food control and phytosanitary systems across 12 African Union Member States.
The project was implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat.
Launched in 2022 and extended beyond its initial two-year timeline with additional EU funding, the “Strengthening of Capacities and Governance in Food and Phytosanitary Control” project has supported participating countries to conduct food control system assessments and phytosanitary capacity evaluations (PCEs).
These assessments informed the development of country-specific strategic plans, many of which are now guiding national reforms.
Capacity development and legal modernization
FAO worked with national governments to evaluate food control and plant health systems using its FAO/WHO Food Control System Assessment Tool and the PCE methodology.
In Egypt, the strategic plan is supporting the establishment of a national food safety authority and reform of agricultural legislation. Three new plant quarantine laboratories are also being operationalized to enhance surveillance and market access capacity.
In Malawi, the government is updating its Plant Protection Act to expand export opportunities for crops such as groundnuts, soybeans, and macadamia nuts.
Comoros is focusing on strengthening border inspection capacity and updating its food regulatory frameworks, while Rwanda is developing a national food safety policy. Uganda is finalizing a donor proposal to improve pest surveillance and diagnostics.
At a recent workshop in Rome attended by the African Union Commission and European Union Delegation to the African Union, country representatives shared implementation progress and discussed strategies for sustaining reforms.
Discussions highlighted that while export controls are generally robust, import controls, surveillance, and scientific risk assessment capacities require further strengthening.
IPPC Plant Health Campus launched
Beyond national outcomes, the project also supported global capacity development by training 10 new PCE facilitators and launching the IPPC Plant Health Campus.
Developed with the FAO e-learning Academy, the platform offers certified e-learning courses, technical guides, and practical tools to build phytosanitary capacity at all levels.
Available in multiple languages, it is designed for plant protection officers, universities, researchers, and others working in plant health.
Sarah Brunel, head of the Implementation and Facilitation Unit at the IPPC Secretariat, said the initiative has connected national priorities to regional and global agendas and provided countries with tools to continue development.
Collaborative approaches emphasized
Representatives noted that multisectoral dialogue has been key to designing strategic plans grounded in national realities.
Food control regulators praised the FAO assessment tool for its technical rigor and ability to foster stakeholder engagement. However, they also reported challenges such as resource constraints and political changes that can affect implementation.
The workshop emphasized the need to align national strategies with continental policies such as the African Union Food Safety Strategy and the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Policy Framework.
Speakers noted that food safety should be viewed not only as a trade requirement but also as a public health and development priority, particularly within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) context.
The project concludes with calls for deeper regional integration, enhanced roles of national Codex and SPS committees, and structured public-private collaboration to sustain momentum.
FAO’s Senior Food Safety Officer, Catherine Bessy, noted that strategic plans informed by assessments and dialogue are vital steps toward building coordinated, resilient food control systems.