By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – FOLLOWING growing health issues affecting lives, an agricultural expert and Board member, African Continental Association for Food Protection, ACAFP, Dr Ernest Aubee, Thursday, called on African countries to prioritize food safety and not just food production alone.

Aubee stated this at the 3rd ACAFP Food Safety Conference held from November 25-27, 2025 in Ogere Resort, Ogun State, Nigeria, which also had in attendance the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Development Partners, and others.

He described the theme of the conference, ‘Enhancing Food Safety Systems For Improved Public Health, Trade Competitiveness and Economic Growth in Africa’ as timely, relevant and appropriate, especially, “when the African continent is grappling with the challenges of food and nutrition security.”

He said: “As the emphasis is always on increasing production and productivity by our countries, it is important for all countries to pay increase attention to food safety and quality.

“Food safety will ensure that we reduce our health challenges and promote good health, attain food and nutrition goals, make African agricultural products competitive in global trade and stimulate rapid economic growth.

“We should all be Ambassadors and Activists for food safety from our homes to the national level. The implementation of our continental and national food safety strategies would help our countries benefit from the opportunities provided by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area.

“One slogan that resonated in all the papers and posters presentations during the conference was Food Safety Is Everybody’s Business. Let it be so as we return to our various professional endeavours.”

Meanwhile, on the issue of implementation, Aubeewhonalso doubles as the
Chairman, National Agriculture Research Institute of the Gambia, counseled that, “The implementation of a robust food safety policy and programmes will have a multiplier effect on all facets of our national economies.

“From food and nutrition security, health, tourism, trade, economic well-being and employment.
I challenge all conference participants to go back home and implement the best practices learnt on food safety from this conference in order to improve the living standards of people on the African continent.”

However, he acknowledged that, “The African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Development Partners and our African states are working tirelessly to address the challenges of food safety on the continent in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, Kampala Declaration 2025 and other Regional policies such as ECOWAP 2025.”