Quality%20and%20product%20safety%20in%20Sub%20Saharan%20Africa%20

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Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan Africa
challenges and opportunities

• By Ivar Foss, Ivar Foss Quality Management,
  Norway
• E-mail ivar.foss_at_fossquality.no

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My background

• 13 years in Det norske Veritas, 5 years as
  Executive Vice President
• Ivar Foss Quality Management established in 1987
• 11 years of consulting in CEEC
• Last 3 years Consulting on trade development in
  Africa. Clients Sida, Norad, UNIDO, ISO etc.
• Lived in Kenya for two years

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The Sida/Norad strategy project

• The main report is available from Sida, see
  www.sida.se

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African trade initiatives

• African Union
• The African Common Market
• NEPAD Market Access Initiative (2001)
• Points out the need to increase value added in
  agro-processing and mineral beneficiation
• Promotes development of the private sector
• Give specific recommendations for removal of
  Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
• Sets objectives for agriculture, including food
  security, but is not specific with regard to
  Sanitary and phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

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Trade areas
CapeVerde
Sey-chelles
Como-ros
Mauri-tius
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Vegetable export from Kenya

• HCDA packing and storage facility at Nairobi
  Airport

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Testing laboratories

• Kenya Bureau of Standards, Nairobi

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New solutions in metrology

• Mobile calibration laboratory for Mozambique

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Objectives in three dimensions

• Each country has to protect its own society
  against hazardous and sub-standard products,
  imported as well as domestically produced
• Exporters have to comply with the increas-ingly
  demanding requirements in target markets
• Complying to requirements is not enough the
  products must also be attractive in the target
  markets. Supply side development is required

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General and Targeted Strategies
Awareness building Engagement and basic training
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Creating awareness -why is it so important?

• No change will take place until influential
  stakeholders are convinced of the need for change!

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Two sets of strategies

• Defensive strategies
• Regulate only when risks are significant
• Limit national legisla-tion make use of
  international standards
• Simplify conformity assessment procedures
• Develop the quality infrastructure
• Improve transparency

• Offensive strategies
• Collect info. on Technical Regulations, standards
  and conformtiy assessment in target markets
• Map market requirements
• Develop a tailormade conformity assessment
  infrastructure
• Develop quality as a competitive strategy

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Ensure safe products on domestic markets

• Laws and regulations
• Standards
• - Market surveillance

Imports
Trade andindustrypolicy
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The food chain approach for the SPS area
Planthealth
Animalhealth
Foodsafety
Multidisciplinary approach
Codex
OIE
IPPC

• Scientific risk assessment
• HACCP

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The SPS infrastructure

• Most African countries have not adopted the food
  chain approach. Present legislation is outdated
• National SPS policies are absent
• Responsibilities and resouces are scatted on many
  ministries (up to 6)
• The infrastructure for testing and enforcement is
  weak
• The risk analysis process is introduced only in
  special cases, typically for export
• Most countries are members of Codex, OIE and
  IPPC

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Standardisation in Africa

• 14 full members and 16 associates or
  corre-sponding members of ISO
• 50 countries are members of Codex and OIE
• 66 of NSBs are autonomous government bodies
• The NSBs have published few standards (lt 150)
• The distinction between standards and regulations
  is blurred
• Participation in international standards
  development is low

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The leapfrog strategy
Old problems and solutions
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Traditional and new approach to standards
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The international model for regulatory
harmonisation
Commonregulatoryobjectives
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Harmonisation of standards
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Recommended strategy for African standardisation

• Introduce the Reference to Standards Principle
  and The International Model in legislation in
  order to promote regional harmonisation
• Accept international standards for industrial
  products
• Influence Codex, OIE and IPPC to take African
  concerns into accounts
• Establish regional African scientific committees
  to support participation in international
  standardisation
• Develop African regional standards for products
  and conditions that are specific to Africa

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Regional development of con-formity assessment
services

• Calibration services (industrial and legal
  metrology, proficiency testing)
• Reference laboratories (chemistry and
  microbiology for food safety, animal and plant
  health)
• Management system certification Quality,
  environment, HACCP
• Accreditation
• Scientifically based risk assessment

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Present products and markets
Traditional Local, DomesticRegional Africa Emerging Middle EastIndia, etc. Demanding Europe, USA, Japan
Commodities Agricultutal products
Value-added prod.Processed agricult. prod.Textiles, leather, etc. A few success stories based on Just-in-time strategies
MineralsMetals, gems, oil/gas
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Targeted Export Strategies
Traditional Local, DomesticRegional Africa Emerging Middle EastIndia, etc. Demanding Europe, USA, Japan
Commodities Agricultural products
Value-added prod.Processed agricult. prod.Textiles, leather, etc.
MineralsMetals, gems, oil/gas, etc.
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The Just-in-Time Export Strategy
Supplier.Produceand sell
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Quality as a competitive strategy
Developmentstage
1920
1960
2000
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The important role of the NSB

• Standardisation
• Industrial as well as food safety, animal and
  plant health
• Arm length distance, independence from government
• Establish a good committee structure
• Other services
• Information centre, incl. WTO enquiry point
• Laboratory testing
• Certification services
• Calibration services, possibly metrology
  institute
• Training
• A national focal point for quality and product
  safety

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Conclusions

• Africa faces very large and multi-facetted
  challenges in the areas of quality and product
  safety
• National policies should guide development
  priorities
• Targeted and specific strategies are required in
  order to succeed
• Regional cooperation is important for rapid
  development
• Export development must be accompanied by the
  relevant conformity assessment structure
• Both national and regional developments require
  technical assistence

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How do you eat an elephant?