Strengthening the Tanzania Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics Act: Addressing Gaps in Food Safety
DOWNLOADDecember 3, 2024 - Dr. Alex Wenaty
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EmailThe policy brief by Dr. Alex Wenaty of Sokoine University of Agriculture analyzes the Tanzania Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics Act (FDCA) of 2003, identifying strengths, challenges, and areas for improvement. The FDCA governs food safety, quality, and labeling, aiming to ensure safe food consumption through regulation and enforcement.
The Act has established important frameworks for food handling, processing, and sales, with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) overseeing implementation. However, fragmented legislation, weak enforcement, and a lack of inclusivity hinder its effectiveness.
Key Issues Identified:
- Fragmented Oversight: Multiple overlapping laws dilute the FDCA's efficacy, complicating food safety management.
- Food Adulteration: Common practices like diluting milk or misbranding maize flour compromise food quality and consumer trust.
- Unfit Foods: Unsafe practices, such as selling fish caught with chemicals or milk from diseased animals, persist due to insufficient enforcement.
- Gender Gaps: The Act overlooks gender inclusivity, despite women’s significant roles in food handling and processing.
- Climate Change: The Act fails to address the impacts of climate change on food safety, including pest resistance and changing fish stocks.
Recommendations:
- Legislative Harmonization: Simplify and unify food safety laws to ensure streamlined enforcement.
- Stronger Enforcement: Increase penalties and improve monitoring to curb food adulteration and sales of unfit foods.
- Inclusivity: Incorporate gender and youth empowerment in food safety roles to leverage their contributions to the value chain.
- Climate-Resilient Practices: Address climate impacts with strategies like crop diversification, pest control, and resilient infrastructure for food storage and transport.
- Public Awareness: Educate stakeholders about food safety and create stronger consumer advocacy systems.
The brief underscores the importance of revising the FDCA to address these gaps, promoting a holistic approach to food safety that integrates climate resilience, gender equity, and streamlined enforcement mechanisms.
