By Bisola Adeyemo
Secretary of administration at the state department of Crops, Ministry of Agriculture in Kenya, Joseph Kirubi has revealed government plans to enhance food safety and production as an effort to boost agricultural exports.
Kirubi who disclosed this on Wednesday during a food safety conference, assured that the country’s food safety will be strengthened and be aligned with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements.
“Government will emphasize on a risk based approach to food safety control and shall require all actors along the food value chain from farm to fork to be accountable,” said Kirubi.
Kirubi added that improved food safety systems will ensure agricultural exports are not intercepted at international borders due to noncompliance with international food safety standards.
He observed that the government is keen to protect public health and promote trade in safe food in a manner consistent with international requirements through harmonizing interagency efforts.
“It is paramount that Kenya has robust sanitary and phytosanitary measures to ensure human, animal and plant health are protected,” he added.
The Kirubi noted that increased demand for food coupled with reduction of arable land and water has led to the adoption of technologies of agricultural products and enhanced trade which requires adequate monitoring of biological, chemical, and physical food hazards.
Kirubi retriated that inadequate food standards will undermine Kenya’s competitiveness in international food trade.
According to the ministry of agriculture, food exports account for over 50 percent of the country’s total exports.
