National Codex Committee recommits to boosting Agricultural Production/Value Chain
The National Codex Committee (NCC) has restated its commitment to boosting agricultural production and value chain system in Nigeria.
The committee, which comprises 38 members, includes the Federal Ministry of Health, Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Research Institutes in Nigeria, among others.
Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said the initiative was a pathway to ensuring food security in Nigeria.
He said this while speaking at the training for members of the committee on Food Safety Risk Analysis and the revised NCC Procedural Manual, organized by NCC in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Ehanire expressed his ministry’s resolve to work with the committee to strengthen Nigeria’s food safety structure and control system for disease prevention and health promotion in the country, while using it as a lever for driving the Universal Health Coverage mandate through relevant supportive policies and programmes.
The Health Minister was represented by Mr. John Atanda, the National Coordinator, Food Safety and Quality Programme, Federal Ministry of Health.
He said the training was timely and would ensure safe food supplies in Nigeria, contributing to national economies and trade.
According to him, it will also build consumers’ confidence in the food supply system while advancing food and nutrition security of the citizens to guarantee sustainable social and economic development in the country as well as to facilitate international food trades.
“The training will equip us for a more functional, effective and result-oriented Codex work for safer food for consumers and fair food trade in the country.
“I want to admonish us that after this workshop, there should be a remarkable turn-around in the work of Codex in the country through our respective organisations,” Ehanire added.
Similarly, the FAO Representative in Nigeria, Fred Kafeero, said the organization would continue to provide support to the government of Nigeria to improve Codex work for enhanced national food and nutrition security.
Source: Agro Nigeria
