Food Safety for Africa

Project Information

FS4Africa

Grant agreement ID: 101136916

DOI

10.3030/101136916

EC signature date 6 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 4 984 995,00

EU contribution

€ 4 984 995,00

Coordinated by

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE
Nigeria

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FS4Africa (Food Safety for Africa)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The Food Safety for Africa (FS4Africa) project is designed to address food safety challenges in Africa by focusing on food safety issues associated with weak pathways for value chain organisation, traceability and authentication of safe food. Food safety challenges addressed include mycotoxin contamination in multiple food/feed crops, pesticide residues in grains and vegetables, microbial contamination (especially by Escherichia coli), and food adulteration via four use cases: Sustainable Aflatoxin Management through a Food Convergence Innovation Approach (Use Case 1), Reduction in the Use and Misuse of Pesticides (Use Case 2), Safe and healthy vegetable and fish production through online platform and mobile communication (Use Case 3) and Microbiological quality of tomatoes and leafy greens from farm to fork (Use Case 4). The aim of the project is to improve African food safety systems. It pays particular attention to the informal sector through local market transformation, enhancing food security and regional trade while reducing negative impacts on the environment, biodiversity, health and society. It further utilises the consortium's expertise, skills, networks, and tools to achieve this. Our approaches include implementing strategies to uplift the informal sector to a mezzanine status. By utilising policy instruments, digital tools, communication strategies, scientific, social, and technological approaches, we address gaps in the informal sector. We deploy tools and strategies that meet "the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The project leverages the activities of other previous and current EU projects and collaborates with the Joint Research Centre, which leads the Knowledge Centre for Global Food and Nutrition Security.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

1. Assessment reports of the informal sector were developed, including information on the current state and gaps in policy, legal, and environmental aspects of the informal food system relevant to food safety.
2. Evidence was generated on the incidence of food hazards, and on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of actors, across the project's four use cases: aflatoxin contamination in grains and legumes (Use Case 1); pesticide residues and antimicrobial resistance
(Use Case 2); safety and traceability of fish and vegetables (Use Case 3); and heavy metal and microbial contamination in tomatoes and leafy greens (Use Case 4).
3. Policy briefs and practice abstracts have been developed to share technical information on the project and the outcomes generated so far, and the team has also presented at conferences to communicate technical and scientific findings.
4. An AI-enabled knowledge hub (www.foodsafety4africa.ubuntoo.com) has been developed to provide easy access to the most relevant and practical solutions, best practices, and knowledge on food safety.
5. A template for a digital directory of stakeholders has been developed for deployment across countries.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The results and potential impacts of this project are:
1. Development of resources that are relevant for improved knowledge of the informal sector as it currently stands, including the gaps identified and the lessons learned from models trialed to close those gaps, in partnership with sector stakeholders.
2. Establishment of a knowledge platform that can be leveraged as an online hub to improve practices in the informal sector, providing relevant and practical knowledge and information that can be accessed directly by informal sector participants or via champions who
can reach them.
3. Demonstration of a mezzanine structure approach to test models for improvement in the informal sector, along with recommendations based on the findings from implementing this approach.
4. Development and demonstration of systems that can address informal food safety risks, such as mycotoxins in grains, pesticide residues in grains and vegetables, and microbial contamination in fish, fruits, and vegetables, through use cases and implementation via
living labs.
5. Implementation of solutions and recommendations via open calls to scale the use of systems and technologies for the improvement of the informal sector.