ENSURING GLOBAL FOOD SAFETY-A NEW WORLD BANK INITIATIVE

The ever increasing food poisoning episodes in many parts of the world seem to be galvanizing the international community to meet the food safety challenges of future through concrete action as reflected by the reported formation of an alliance between private industry, international agencies and the US government. The proposed creation of a fund, though relatively small now, can be expected to grow in the coming years from contributions from many  successful industries having a stake in ensuring safety of food products marketed by them. There cannot be a better coordinating agency than the World Bank which has the capacity to manage international funds for many productive activities with international ramifications. How effective this effort is going to be, especially in helping the food safety problems faced by developing countries needs to watched and if successful there will be a case to expand the facilities manifold for training and capacity building.

"Announced at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Hawaii, Waters Corporation (NYSE: WAT), along with Mars Incorporated and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), jointly pledged $1 million to create the first ever Global Food Safety Capacity Building fund. To be managed by the World Bank, the proposed fund will support global food safety improvements through expanded understanding of food safety standards and best practices throughout the food safety system, from farm to fork. Supported by an innovative public-private partnership, the proposed fund builds on the Memorandum of Understanding between the APEC Food Safety Cooperation forum and the World Bank. The fund will leverage APEC's unique food safety training programs while utilizing the World Bank's global reach and contributions from governments and private industry to positively impact global public health. Overall, the goal is to raise $15-20 million over the next 10 years".

One of the disturbing questions amidst all the euphoria generated by the above development is how relevant are the training programs being organized in University of Maryland, USA to the exact needs of many countries of the third world, most of them lacking both decent analytical facilities and minimum critical mass of qualified personnel to carry out some of the sophisticated assessments needed to establish food quality and safety. Besides the range of products which are popular and marketed in many countries differ significantly in composition and physical parameters that entirely new methodology would be needed and one wonders who is going to do this job. Agencies like WHO, World Bank, UNIDO and others must do more to improve the safety monitoring systems in the third world rather than channeling their energy and funds to countries like the US which already have strong capability in the area. Large industries run by MNCs must join such efforts in stead of chasing relentlessly their corporate goals of increasing profits generated through their investments in these countries.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WORLD BANK'S "AGRICULTURAL" AID!- IS IT A DESERVING CASE?

To read through the project document with the World Bank soliciting funds for agricultural development, a dispassionate observer can be condoned if an impression is created that the objectives of the project are applicable to a poor third world country in Africa. But the fact that the USD 100 million project has been sanctioned to China, the second super power after the US in the world, may be of shock to many. Look at the targets sought to be achieved with the aid being offered to this economic super power by the World Bank.

"Specifically, the project will assist in the development of new standards for good agricultural practices. These new standards include both legal minimum standards and detailed recommendations for farmers on the best agricultural practices available ranging from appropriate cultivation practices, pesticide use, integrated pest management, post harvest practices, animal husbandry practices, aquaculture production practices, to the appropriate use of veterinary medicines. To increase the adoption of standardized good agricultural practices, matching grants will be provided to farmer groups or agricultural product processors to set up 200 to 300 demonstration sites that use improved agricultural practices to produce safer agricultural products. The project will also finance the upgrading of the agricultural product safety and quality testing, management, monitoring, and enforcement system in agricultural, livestock and aquaculture. The establishment of a risk-based agricultural product safety monitoring system will be piloted. A number of laboratories for testing pesticide and veterinary product residues will be constructed or rehabilitated".

How China has reached the status of an economic giant without having the wherewithal for managing its agriculture efficiently during the last five decades may remain a mystery if the World Bank aided project document is to be believed. In almost all fronts of agricultural production China is either the top producer and exporter or comes under the top five performers on a global scale. Why an organization like the World Bank is wasting its resources on a country like China with its enormous economy and technological prowess while there are many other deserving cases, may be part of the international political intrigues, difficult to discern for ordinary mortals.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com