UNNExT Workshop on Promoting Cross-border Agricultural Trade for Sustainable Development November 2016 Bangkok, Thailand

Transcription

1 UNNExT Workshop on Promoting Cross-border Agricultural Trade for Sustainable Development November 2016 Bangkok, Thailand

2 Key food safety considerations for export of fresh fruits from the Asia- Pacific region at Workshop on Promoting Cross-border Agricultural Trade for Sustainable Development (28-30 November 2016, Bangkok, Thailand) Ms. Shashi Sareen Senior Advisor, Food Safety & Quality FAO Regional Office for the Asia & the Pacific

3 Outline Major emerging food safety issues related to export of fresh fruits and produce from Asia Pacific region Some suggested strategies & initiatives to strengthen food safety systems in the region for trade facilitation Designing effective food safety control systems

4 Global scenario Globalization - increasing demand by consumers for variety of foods Trans-boundary movement and trade across countries $1.1 trillion (imports and exports of the top 15 countries- WTO,2014) Increasingly new challenges & risks to the health & safety of consumers - 1 in 10 affected (WHO, 2015) Quality, health, safety, labelling, food fraud incidents (melamine, horsemeat) acquiring global focus WTO Agreements govern trade Codex OIE IPPC

5 Major emerging food safety issues Residues & contaminants pesticides residues, heavy metals, toxins, food additives, adulterants Pathogens & spoilage micro-organisms Plant pests and diseases banana Fusarium wilt disease A farmer destroys iceberg lettuce in Germany, E. coli cases GMO issues Production practices - quality of water, test facilities Infrastructure - testing, Cold chain, packhouses Certification issues Hepatitis A in semidried tomatoes Pesticide residues in Thailand

6 INFOSAN alerts 2015 Country Food Contaminants/ hazards Bangladesh Apples and caramel apples Listeria monocytogenesis China Canned mushroom Glass China Mixed frozen berries Hepatitis A virus Serbia Frozen raspberries Norvirus Russian Federation Canned tomatoes Clostridium botulinum Mexico Cucumber Salmonella enterica serotype Poona Guatemala Snap peas Cyclospora cayetanensis China Frozen berries Hepatitis A virus

7 Some suggested strategies & initiatives to strengthen food safety systems in the region for trade facilitation

8 The food chain approach value chains Food safety hazards may arise at different stages of food supply and may need to be prevented from entering, reduced or eliminated Standards Preventive approaches Market links & trade Finance aspects Cooperatives

9 Trade & SPS/Standards/ Codex Harmonization of standards with Codex and compliance CAC - overview Intergovernmental body Established 1962 joint FAO/WHO Mandate protect health of consumers ensure fair practices in international food trade Membership countries + 1 member org (EC) Observers: 220 international organizations: scientific, industry, trade, consumers Standards relate to: End product criteria CoP for packaging & Transport of Fresh F&V Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh F&V MRLs for pesticides Food additives Contaminant limits Packaging & labelling Inspection, sampling, testing procedures/methods,

10 Codex Standards Structure CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION Executive Committee Secretariat General Subject Committees General Principles (France) Food Additives (China) Contaminants in Foods (Netherlands) Food Hygiene (USA) Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (Australia) Methods of Analysis and Sampling (Hungary) Pesticide Residues (China) Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (USA) Food Labelling (Canada) Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (Germany) Commodity Committees Milk and Milk Products (NZ) Fish and Fishery Products (Norway) Fats and Oils (Malaysia) Sugars (Colombia) Meat Hygiene (New Zealand) Natural Mineral Waters (Switzerland) active Processed Fruits and Vegetables (USA) adjourned Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (Mexico) Cereals, Pulses and Legumes (USA) Spices and Culinary Herbs (India) Vegetable Proteins (Canada) Cocoa Products and Chocolate (Switzerland) ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Forces dissolved Animal Feeding (Switzerland) Biotechnology (Japan) Regional Coordinating Committees Africa (Kenya) Asia (India) Europe (Netherlands) Antimicrobial Resistance (Republic of Korea) Fruit and Vegetable Juices(Brazil) Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods (Thailand) Latin America and the Caribbean (Chile) North America and the Southwest Pacific (Vanuatu) Near East (Iran)

11 Strengthen standards/ Codex activities Issues: Harmonization of standards with Codex and compliance for better trade NSB/ regulators - duplication Harmonization with Codex Low participation/ contribution to Codex, NCC not well functioning Standards for domestic & export differing Labels language understood Recognition of controls/ standards of private sector Focus Regional/ country projects review country situation, support better participation in Codex, national standards infrastructure, data collection Trainings

12 Preventative Approach Good Practices GAP practices that address environmental, eco, social sustainability for on-farm processes & result in safe & Q food HACCP GMP/GHP - All practices regarding conditions & measures necessary to ensure safety & suitability of food at all stages of the food chain FSMS - A holistic system of An internationally accepted system to reduce & manage risk by identifying, evaluating & controling hazards (C/P/B) significant for food safety controls that manage food safety in food business. (GHPs; HACCP; management systems elements & policies; & traceability/ recall system)

13 Preventive approaches and value chains Focus: Preventive approaches based on risk more effective than reactive approach focussing on end product testing Government sector programmes - Good Practices, GAP/GMP/FSMS, streetfood/ retail, inspection & certification systems Market driven private sector certifications Geographical Indications infrastructure, marketing Other value chain programmes ginger (Nepal), FFV (Vietnam)

14 Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Training manual on Implementing ASEANGAP in the F&V sector, its Certification & Accreditation SAARC A Scheme & Training Manual on Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) for fruits and vegetables Volume 1 The Scheme 3 parts - Piloting in 6 countries Volume 2 Training manual (5 modules, 18 sessions) 9/i3576e/i3576e00.htm

15 Training Manual on Implementation of GAP in the fruit and vegetable Sector in SAARC countries Module I Introduction to GAP Module II The GAP standards/requirements Module III Establishment of National Implementation Systems Module IV GAP Certification and Accreditation Module V Preparing a Farmer/Producer or Producer Group for GAP Session 1 Background to food safety & intro to GAP Session 2 Different GAP standards GlobalG.A.P./ other GAPs Session 3 An overview of GAP standard - Structure, requirements and conformity criteria Session 4 Food safety module Session 5 Environmental management Session 6 Workers health, safety and welfare Session 7 Produce quality Session 8 General requirements (incl. group controls) Session 9 GAP verification criteria, control points & checklists Session 10 Options & Structure for impl GAP Session 11 Scheme & Scheme Owner Session 12 Importance of GAP certification/accreditn Session 13 Criteria for selection of an AB for GAP Session 14 Establishment of a CB for GAP Session 15 GAP Certification Process Session 16 Auditing and auditing techniques Session 17 Preparing the farmer/ farmer groups for implementing GAP Session 18 The application and approval process

16 Examples of FAO Value chain activities for trade facilitation Improving food safety, quality, hygiene & food control in Bangladesh Strengthening Vietnamese SPS capacity for trade improving safety & quality of fresh vegetables through value chain approach Strengthening capacity of food safety management along the value chain for better quality of agricultural and fishery products (Vietnam) risk assessment studies for fruits, vegetables, etc Enhancing SPS Capacity of Ginger Exports through Public Private Partnerships (Nepal)

17 Strong Partnerships Food control responsibility for food safety all actors in the chain National Level Private sector Producer, processor, handlers, certifiers Government - Enabling environment (scientific, technical, financial, infrastructure, regulatory); enforcement The Consumer/ Civil Society Regional & Global Agreements Research and data - ARAC Test facilities Universities

18 Traceability and use of IT Traceability required for targeted & accurate withdraw or recall and validation of claims such as organic, GIs, halal, free from allergens Long and complicated food chain requires IT based computerized systems To facilitate traceability Information needed and managed Structured across food chain (producer consumer) Move across food chain adding to it/ building up as it moves Information to be accessible to consumers Codex Principles for traceability/ product tracing as a tool within a food inspection & certification system (CAC/GL )

19 Transparency and Communication Standards, procedures and protocols need to have clarity/ predictability so that can be met - exporters, importers and exporting government/ consumers to be aware of these Many agencies each with own set of requirements, generally no comprehensive guidance available (decision making criteria, etc) leads to non-compliance with mostly procedural aspects. Verbal information by government authorities. WTO requires notifications many countries still not notifying fully Risk communication poorly understood and addressed Consumer confidence important effective communication including to media

20 One-Health and Trade Facilitation Multi-disciplinary approach to address various issues Human Health and Well being One Health Biosecurity, food safety single certificates(fs, animal/ plant health), AMR (reduce medicine use), pesticide use Trade Facilitation Food safety Animal health Plant health & zoonoses Codex OIE IPPC WTO Agreements

21 Economic impacts Any measures need to be based on an understanding of the economic impacts Standards Focus on testing not preventive measures infrastructure costs National reputation Certifications Quality requirements Poor compliance destruction & recalls Excessive/ multiple government controls IT based computerized systems A poorly understood area more studies needed

22 Implementing effective food control systems Effective food control systems facilitate trade FOOD STANDARDS/ MEASURES SPS, CODEX LEGISLATION POLICY & FOOD CONTROL MANAGEMENT FOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS ENFORCEMENT & SURVEILLANCE LABORATORY TESTING & VERIFICATION Routine inspection, Imports/ exports, Emergency preparedness and response, FBDS IEC & TRAINING Codex Guidelines for design of effective food control programs - CCFICS

23 Designing effective food control systems

24 Government or Food Safety policy makers are guardians of food safety Effective food safety control systems Objectives/Why? Protection of public health acute food borne illnesses; long term health impacts Protection consumers from fraud and thereby promoting consumer confidence - mislabeled, adulterated, unwholesome food Facilitating market access - meeting requirements for regional/ international trade Reduction of food losses & wastes (contamination; spoilage; destructions) Contributing to economic development by maintaining confidence in food systems and strengthening national reputation Providing a base for Mutual Recognition & equivalence agreements

25 Framework for the Development of a National Food Control System Inspection, testing, FSER, import/export, preventive approaches

26 Conclusion Challenges many food safety issues, standards, certification, etc Government and private players both have a role Require focused targeted interventions THANK YOU