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Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan Africa – challenges and opportunities

Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan Africa – challenges and opportunities. By Ivar Foss, Ivar Foss Quality Management, Norway E-mail: ivar.foss@fossquality.no. My background. 13 years in Det norske Veritas, 5 years as Executive Vice President

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Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan Africa – challenges and opportunities

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  1. Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan Africa – challenges and opportunities By Ivar Foss, Ivar Foss Quality Management, Norway E-mail: ivar.foss@fossquality.no

  2. 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

  3. The Sida/Norad strategy project The main report is available from Sida, see www.sida.se

  4. 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)

  5. Barcelona ECOWAS ECOWAS and UEMOA SADC COMESA Barcelonaand COMESA SADC and COMESA Trade areas CapeVerde Sey-chelles Como-ros Mauri-tius

  6. Vegetable export from Kenya HCDA packing and storage facility at Nairobi Airport

  7. Testing laboratories Kenya Bureau of Standards, Nairobi

  8. New solutions in metrology Mobile calibration laboratory for Mozambique

  9. 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

  10. Export-focussedtailor madequaltiyinfrastructure DomesticfocussedgeneralTBT/SPS structure General and Targeted Strategies Awareness building Engagement and basic training

  11. Creating awareness -why is it so important? No change will take place until influential stakeholders are convinced of the need for change!

  12. 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 Two sets of strategies

  13. Tariffsand quotas Domestic suppliers Border control Ensure safe products on domestic markets • Laws and regulations • Standards • - Market surveillance Imports Trade andindustrypolicy

  14. The food chain approach for the SPS area Planthealth Animalhealth Foodsafety Multidisciplinary approach Codex OIE IPPC • Scientific risk assessment • HACCP

  15. 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

  16. 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 (< 150) • The distinction between standards and regulations is blurred • Participation in international standards development is low

  17. ConsistentEffectiveInternationalSimple Newsolutions The leapfrog strategy Old problems and solutions

  18. TheReference to Standards Principle: Products complyingwith the referenced standards are pre- sumed to comply with legal require-ments Legal act Legal act Government Technical regulations RegulationsMandatorystandards Government Voluntarystandards NSB Traditionalapproach Referenceto standards Traditional and new approach to standards

  19. National legislation Country A Country B Country C Country D Regional andsectoral structure Evidence of conformity International(or other agreed)standards The international model for regulatory harmonisation Commonregulatoryobjectives

  20. ISO etc. ARSO (African Regional Organisation for Standardisation Regional organisation NSB NSB NSB Harmonisation of standards

  21. 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

  22. 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

  23. Markets Products Present products and markets

  24. Markets Products Targeted Export Strategies

  25. Tariffs and quota Quality Price Availability Market requirements TBT 1) The target market SPS SPS 1) Competitive products Recognised documentationof compliance TBT 1) and other non-tariff barrier TechnicalRegulations Standards Conformity assessment MRAs The Just-in-Time Export Strategy Supplier.Produceand sell

  26. Excellence Total quality management Quality assurance/management Statistical quality control Inspection Quality as a competitive strategy Developmentstage 1920 1960 2000

  27. 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

  28. 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

  29. How do you eat an elephant?

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