The food industry can never be ignored especially in a country like Kenya, whose economy is highly dependent on Agriculture.However, this industry can only thrive if food safety is well observed, from production, throughout the value chain, right to consumption.
With funding from the European Union (EU) Market Access Upgrade Program (MARKUP) Kenya, has been actively advocating for food safety, through a campaign, which has reached out to different players along the food value chain.
MARKUP is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and State Department of Trade.Today, MARKUP Kenya is proud to join the rest of the world in marking the second World Food Safety Day (WFSD), and in calling for collective responsibility towards food safety.
Every day, almost everyone interacts with food at different levels; from production, to transportation, trading and consumption. But, of greater concern is not just food, but SAFE food. The significance of food safety has become of more interest due the current outbreak of Covid19, across the world.In this light, MARKUP Kenya has been carrying out a two months food safety campaign amid this pandemic.But, the campaign has gone beyond just concentrating on the current status, to advocating for a food safety culture beyond Covid19.
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The last one week has been the peak of MARKUP’s food safety campaign, which has so far reached over 2.4 million people through digital platforms, main media and posters which were distributed across 15 counties. Among the counties which have received these posters include Nairobi and Mombasa, both which have been hardly hit by Covid19. Other counties include, Nakuru, Bungoma, Busia, Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, among others. The posters are targeted to reach over 204,000 persons, with messages displayed in both English and Kiswahili languages, to widen the demographical reach. Collaboration with relevant government institutions and departments, has worked perfectly in verifying the messages and distribution of posters.
Together, let us all play our part in ensuring food safety for all, every time, everywhere.
