African food inspectorates seek common rules for trade

Food safety and plant health inspectorates from 19 African countries are in Nairobi to discuss ways to streamline regulations ahead of Africa-wide free market access.

The meeting sponsored by United States Aid for International Development (USAid) heard that Africa must uphold high standards in food and crop health to generate inter-country trade as well as boost confidence with processed agro-products heading to foreign markets.

Council of Governors Agriculture Committee vice chairman Jackson Mandago said Africa must invest in research as well as share knowledge on technological innovations with farmers to boost food production and collaborative research.

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Mr Mandago, also the Uasin Gishu governor, said Kenya must heavily invest in public research that will enable free roll-out of all innovations realised during research.

“Private companies conducting research have an obligation to commercialise their findings and profit from their work, but public agricultural research agencies have a national duty to benefit the public,” he said.

Kenya Plant Health and Inspectorate Services (Kephis) managing director Esther Kimani said it had requested for Sh1.4 billion to enable them equip their research stations as well as prepare staff for prompt response measures in case of an outbreak.