The African Development Bank and the African Union Commission (AUC) have launched the Strengthening Food Safety Standards and Nutrition in Africa (SFNA) project, aimed at enhancing food security, public health, and trade across the continent. The project was officially introduced during a workshop held from 26-29 August in Nairobi, Kenya, addressing the high burden of foodborne diseases in Africa, which the World Health Organization estimates cause 137,000 deaths and 91 million illnesses annually.
César Mba Abogo, Director of the Bank’s Joint Secretariat Support Office, highlighted the project’s strategic importance, stating that it represents the Bank’s commitment to building resilient food systems from farm to fork and improving the quality of life for Africans. The initiative aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy 2024-2033, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and other AUC flagship programmes, integrating cross-cutting priorities such as gender equality and resilience.
Dr. Janet Edeme, AUC Acting Head of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized that access to safe food and nutrition is a basic human right and critical for achieving Agenda 2063, noting that vulnerable populations—including children, pregnant women, older adults, and the immunocompromised—are most affected. She called for a coordinated “One Health” approach to lay the foundation for resilient food systems and healthier communities across Africa.
The project, financed by an African Development Fund grant of $8.57 million, is structured around three main components: harmonizing food safety standards and strengthening laboratory capacity, promoting a culture of food safety, gender, and nutrition, and ensuring effective project management to deliver transparent and efficient results. It will focus on ten countries: Cameroon, Chad, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, and Tanzania.
During the four-day workshop, project teams were trained on the Bank’s fiduciary and procurement procedures, while member countries presented initial work plans and budgets, prioritizing laboratory capacity building, evidence-based food safety investment plans, and tackling issues such as aflatoxin contamination.
César Mba Abogo noted that the SFNA project represents a collaborative, coordinated effort leveraging the strengths of African institutions to foster regional resilience and accelerate socio-economic transformation, marking a significant step toward a safer, healthier Africa.
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