The Food Safety Promotion and Advocacy Centre (FOSAPAC) is a registered Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) with a social goal of inculcating a food safety culture in Ugandan and African society, for enhanced health and welfare and economic benefits of the communities
Background and Context For FOSAPAC
Food safety is a critical public health and economic issue in Uganda and across Africa. Unsafe food contributes significantly to the burden of foodborne illnesses, which disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems. Food safety is both a public and business concern in Uganda and Africa mainly due to the associated Public Health Challenges, Economic impact of food safety, Weak regulatory frameworks, Link between climate change and food safety, and Limited public awareness to food safety
- Public Health Challenges
High Burden of Foodborne Diseases: Africa has the highest per capita incidence of foodborne illnesses globally, with over 137,000 deaths annually. In Uganda, diseases like diarrhea, typhoid, and cholera are often linked to contaminated food and water. The growing cases of cancer, reproductive and neurological defects and organ failures are attributed to consumption of non-biodegradable substances in food that bioaccumulate in the bodies of consumers.
Vulnerable Populations: Whereas children under five are greatly at risk, as foodborne illnesses can lead to malnutrition, stunted growth, and even death; unsafe food affects the health and life of all individuals.
- Economic Impact unsafe food
Lost Productivity: Foodborne illnesses result in absenteeism at work, reduced productivity, and increased healthcare costs, straining households and economies.
Trade Barriers: African food exports, including those from Uganda, often face rejections due to non-compliance with international food safety standards, limiting economic opportunities.
- Weak Regulatory Frameworks
Inadequate Enforcement: Many African countries, including Uganda, lack robust food safety laws, enforcement mechanisms, and infrastructure to monitor and regulate food production and distribution.
Fragmented Systems: Food safety responsibilities are often spread across multiple government agencies, leading to inefficiencies and gaps in oversight.
- Climate Change and Food Safety
Increased Risks: Rising temperatures and changing weather patterns contribute to the spread of foodborne pathogens, spoilage, and contamination of food supplies.
Vulnerability of Smallholder Farmers: Many farmers lack the knowledge and resources to implement food safety practices, making them particularly vulnerable to climate-related risks.
- Dominance of Informal Sector
Informal Food Sector: A large portion of food in Africa is sold through informal markets, which often lack proper sanitation, necessary facilities and resources and regulatory oversight.
- Limited Public Awareness
Low Knowledge of Food Safety hazards and Practices: Many consumers, food handlers, and producers are unaware of basic food safety practices, such as proper hygiene, storage, cooking and food handling methods. The consumers are not well aware of the food safety dangers associated with food products
Cultural Practices: Some traditional food preparation and preservation methods may increase the risk of contamination.
Rationale for FOSAPAC
FOSAPAC provides a platform to contribute to:
- Addressing Critical Gaps
- Awareness and Education: There is a pressing need to educate consumers, food handlers, and producers about food safety practices to reduce the incidence of foodborne illnesses
- Capacity Building: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and smallholder farmers often lack the resources and knowledge to comply with food safety standards. FOSAPAC would provide training and support to bridge this gap.
- Advocacy for Stronger Policies: FOSAPAC would also advocate for the development and enforcement of robust food safety laws and regulations at national and regional levels.
- Leveraging Opportunities
- Growing Interest in Food Safety: Governments, international organizations, and the private sector are increasingly recognizing the importance of food safety, creating opportunities for collaboration and funding.
- Youth and Innovation: Uganda and Africa have a young, tech-savvy population that can be engaged to develop innovative solutions for food safety challenges.
- Regional Integration: Initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provide opportunities to harmonize food safety standards and promote trade in safe food products.
- Alignment with Global and Regional Goals
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Improving food safety aligns with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
- African Union Agenda 2063: Food safety is critical to achieving the Uganda’s vision 2040 and AU’s vision of a prosperous and healthy Africa.
Vision
FOSAPAC envisions a future where every individual in Uganda and Africa has access to safe, nutritious, and wholesome food, fostering healthier communities, stronger economies, and sustainable development.
Mission and roles of FOSAPAC
The mission of FOSAPAC is to promote, advocate, and raise awareness about food safety by empowering individuals, communities, and institutions with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to prevent foodborne illnesses, improve food safety standards, and build a culture of safety and accountability across the food supply chain in Uganda and Africa.
The Role of FOSAPAC is therefore to:
- Raise Awareness: Educate consumers, food handlers, and policymakers about the importance of food safety
- Advocate for Change: Push for stronger food safety laws, regulations, and enforcement mechanisms
- Build Capacity: Provide training and resources to food businesses, especially SMEs, to improve compliance with food safety standards
- Foster Collaboration: Bring together governments, NGOs, the private sector, and communities to address food safety challenges collectively
- Promote Innovation: Support research and development of new technologies and practices to enhance food safety
- Enable vulnerable populations, including children and low-income communities to access safe and nutritious food
Strategic Results Areas and Specific Objectives
FOSAPAC’s expected strategic results provide a high-level roadmap for achieving its mission and vision. The Strategic interventions needed to produce the results will address the key challenges and leverage opportunities in food safety across Uganda and Africa in ensuring that the organisation plays its role. The strategic results and interventions for achieving the results are indicated below:
- Enhanced Public Awareness and Education: Increase knowledge and understanding of food safety practices among consumers, food handlers, and producers.
- Strengthened Food Safety Policies and Systems: Advocate for the development, implementation, and enforcement of robust food safety laws and regulations.
- Capacity for Food Safety Compliance Built: Equip food businesses, especially SMEs and smallholder farmers, with the skills and resources to meet food safety standards.
- Collaboration and Partnerships Fostered: Work with governments, international organizations, the private sector, and communities to amplify impact and share resources.
- Research and Innovation Promoted: Support research to identify food safety risks and develop innovative solutions to address them.
- Improved Access to Safe Food: Ensure that vulnerable populations, including children and low-income communities, have access to safe and nutritious food.
Approach and strategies to be used by FOSAPAC to realise the vision, mission, and results
To achieve these results, the following approaches and strategies will be adopted:
- Public Awareness Campaigns
Mass Media: Use radio, TV, and social media to disseminate food safety messages in widely spoken languages including local languages.
Community Engagement: Organize workshops, seminars, and community events to educate consumers and food handlers.
School Programs: Integrate food safety education into school curricula and provide safe and nutritious meals.
- Training and Capacity Building
Workshops and Certifications: Offer training programs for food handlers, farmers, and SMEs on food safety standards and best practices.
Partnerships with Industry: Collaborate with food businesses to provide resources and support for compliance with food safety requirements.
- Policy Advocacy
Engage with Governments: Work with policymakers to develop and implement food safety laws and regulations.
Regional Collaboration: Advocate for the harmonization of food safety standards across African countries to facilitate trade.
- Research and Data Collection
Conduct Studies: Identify food safety risks and measure the impact of interventions.
Publish Reports: Share findings with stakeholders to inform policy and practice.
- Partnerships and Collaboration
Government Agencies: Partner with ministries of health, agriculture, and trade to align efforts and resources.
International Organizations: Collaborate with organizations like the WHO, FAO, and UNICEF, UNCTAD, regional bodies and organisations and other development partners, to leverage expertise and funding.
Private Sector: Engage food producers, processors, and retailers to promote food safety practices.
Academia: Work with universities and research institutions to support innovation and data collection.
- Access to safe and nutritious food
Work with schools to ensure access to safe and nutritious meals.
Build capacity of small holder farmers to increase local supply for food.
Avail communities with information on safe food and food safety.
- Innovation and Technology
Digital Platforms: Use websites, apps, and social media to reach a broader audience with food safety information.
E-Learning: Develop online training modules and webinars to make food safety education accessible.
- Monitoring and Evaluation
Track Progress: Use metrics like the number of people educated, policies influenced, and partnerships formed.
Feedback Mechanisms: Collect feedback from stakeholders to improve programs and initiatives.
Annual Reports: Publish reports detailing achievements, financials, and future plans to maintain transparency.
- Foster a Food Safety Culture
Lead by Example: Ensure FOSAPAC as an organisation practices what it preaches by adhering to the highest food safety standards.
Community Engagement: Involve local communities in FOSAPACs initiatives to create a sense of ownership and shared responsibility.
Continuous Learning: Stay updated on the latest food safety research, trends, and technologies to remain relevant and effective.
- Leverage Technology
Digital Platforms: Use websites, apps, and social media to reach a broader audience.
Data Analytics: Analyse data to identify trends, measure impact, and refine strategies.
Online Training: Offer webinars and e-learning modules to make education accessible.
- Build a Strong Network
Collaborate with Stakeholders: Work with government agencies, NGOs, academia, and the private sector to amplify FOSAPAC’s impact.
Join Food Safety Networks: Participate in national, regional and global food safety alliances to share knowledge and resources.
- Engage Volunteers and Staff
Recruit Passionate Individuals: Attract volunteers and staff who are committed to FOSAPAC’s mission.
Provide Training: Equip FOSAPAC’s team with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively promote food safety.
Recognize Contributions: Acknowledge and reward the efforts of FOSAPAC’s team to maintain morale and motivation.
- Measure and Communicate Success
Impact Assessment: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of FOSAPAC’s programs and initiatives.
Storytelling: Share success stories and case studies to demonstrate the impact of FOSAPAC’s work.
Transparency: Maintain open communication with stakeholders about FOSAPAC’s achievements, challenges, and financials
- Build a Strong Governance System
Board of Directors: Recruit a diverse and skilled board with expertise in food safety, public health, law, finance, and advocacy.
Advisory Committee: Form an advisory panel of food safety experts, scientists, and industry professionals.
Transparency: Ensure clear policies for decision-making, financial management, and accountability.
- Develop a Strategic Plan
Short- and Long-Term Goals: Outline what FOSAPAC aims to achieve in the next 1, 5, and 10 years.
Target Audience: Identify key stakeholders, such as consumers, food businesses, policymakers, and educators.
Key Activities: Plan initiatives like: Public awareness campaigns,
Training programs for food handlers, Advocacy for stronger food safety laws, and collaboration with schools, businesses, and governments.
Specific objectives for achieving Strategic results
Result area 1: Enhance Public Awareness and Education
Specific objective 1.1: Develop and distribute food safety educational materials (e.g., brochures, videos, posters) in local languages to reach 1 million people within 10 years.
Specific objective 1.2: Conduct 20 workshops and seminars on food safety practices annually
Specific objective 1.3: Launch a social media campaign to raise awareness about food safety, reaching 5,000,000 people within 10 years.
Result area 2: Strengthen Food Safety Policies and Systems
Specific objective 2.1: Advocate for the adoption of national food safety policies in in Uganda and 10 African countries within 10 years.
Specific objective 2.2: Work with governments to establish or strengthen food safety regulatory agencies in Uganda and 5 other African countries by 2035.
Specific objective 2.3: Promote the harmonization of food safety standards across African countries under the AfCFTA framework.
Result Area 3: Build Capacity for Food Safety Compliance
Specific objective 3.1: Train 20,000 food handlers and producers on food safety standards and best practices within 10 years.
Specific objective 3.2: Provide/support certification programs for 1000 SMEs to comply with national and international food safety standards by 2035.
Specific Objective 3.3: Establish a food safety resource centre to provide ongoing support and training to food businesses.
Result Area 4: Foster Collaboration and Partnerships
Specific objective 4.1: Partner with 10 international organizations (e.g., WHO, FAO/and or other Ugandan or African based Organisations) to support food safety initiatives in Uganda and Africa by 2035.
Specific objective 4.2: Collaborate with 20 local NGOs and community-based organizations to implement food safety programs.
Specific objective 4.3: Engage with the private sector to develop corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives focused on food safety.
Result Area 5: Promote Research and Innovation
Specific Objective 5.1: Conduct 5 research studies to identify key food safety risks or communities at risk in Uganda and Africa by 2035.
Specific Objective 5.2: Develop and pilot 3 innovative food safety technologies or practices (e.g., mobile apps for food safety monitoring) by 2035.
Specific Objective 5.3: Publish an annual report on food safety trends, challenges, and solutions in Uganda and Africa.
Result area 6: Improve Access to Safe Food
Specific objective 6.1: Implement or support school feeding programs in 10 schools, ensuring access to safe and nutritious meals for 10,000 children by 2035.
Specific Objective 6.2: Support 10,000 smallholder farmers to adopt food safety practices, improving the safety of locally produced foods.
Specific Objective 6.3: Establish 20 community food safety hubs to provide education, training, and resources to vulnerable populations.
Alignment with Broader Goals
FOSAPAC’s vision, mission, Strategic objectives and Strategic Actions align with:
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
- African Union Agenda 2063: Contributing to a prosperous and healthy Africa through improved food safety.
- National Development Plans: Supporting Uganda’s and other African countries’ efforts to improve public health and economic development.
FOSAPAC’s Potential Partners and Stakeholders
- Governments: Ministries of health, agriculture, and trade.
- International Organizations: WHO, FAO, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme (WFP).
- NGOs: Local and international organizations working on public health and food security.
- Private Sector: Food producers, processors, and retailers.
- Academia: Universities and research institutions focused on food science and public health.
- Communities: Local leaders, schools, and consumer groups.
Funding and Sustainability
- Grants: Seek funding from international donors, foundations, and governments.
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Partner with food companies to support food safety initiatives.
- Membership Fees: Charge nominal fees for training programs or certifications.
- Fundraising Events: Organize events like food safety conferences or charity dinners.
- Social Enterprise: Develop income-generating activities, such as selling food safety training materials or consulting services.
FOSAPAC’s Expected Impact
- Improved Public Health
- Reduced incidence of foodborne illnesses, particularly among vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
- Increased awareness of safe food handling practices among consumers and food handlers.
- Economic Benefits
- Enhanced productivity and reduced healthcare costs due to fewer cases of foodborne diseases.
- Increased access to regional and international markets for Ugandan and African food products.
- Strengthened Food Systems
- Improved compliance with food safety standards among food producers and processors.
- Greater consumer confidence in locally produced foods, supporting local economies.
- Regional Collaboration
- Harmonized food safety standards across EAC and African countries, facilitating trade under initiatives like the AfCFTA.
- Shared knowledge and resources to address common food safety challenges.
Measuring Impact
- Key Metrics: Track the number of people educated, policies influenced, businesses trained, and partnerships formed.
- Case Studies: Document success stories to demonstrate the impact of your work.
- Annual Reports: Publish reports to maintain transparency and accountability.
