A NON-GOVERNMENT organization (NGO) is pushing for more food safety awareness among consumers in Negros Occidental in its bid to help upscale the local food supply chain.
The Afos Foundation, a German NGO, gathered about 60 consumers mostly members of parents and teachers associations for a public forum on food safety at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall here Wednesday, August 30.
The activity was held in collaboration with the Association of Negros Producers-Foundation Enterprise Development Inc. (ANP-FEDI) and the Provincial Government.
Rendell Barcimo, technical coordinator for food safety of Afos Foundation, said the forum is aimed at raising the awareness of the consumers on the importance of consuming products certified with various food safety standards.
Barcimo said there is a need for local consumers to be informed about food safety because it mainly concerns human health.
The Afos Foundation, through its OURFood Program: Optimizing and Upscaling Roles in the Food Supply Chain, has been advocating food safety in Negros Occidental by assisting companies and producers in complying with the standards.
“However, we recognized that there is a lack of awareness among consumers,” Barcimo said, adding that “the producers' potentials cannot be optimized if consumers are not aware of their food safety efforts.”
The Afos Foundation had earlier expressed concerns over the increasing cases of food poisoning and food borne diseases, which are posing health risks to the general public.
Thus, there is a need to close the loop. Meaning, the food safety initiative should cover the entire chain, from producers and food handlers up to the consumers, it added.
Barcimo said a positive “response” among producers was already established, and they just have to work more on the consumption aspect.
He pointed out that most consumers look for cheaper products yet grown in “conventional” farming system.
They have not yet realized the benefits of consuming products undergoing safety standards, he added.
“That is why we need to inform them," Barcimo said, adding that teachers and parents as consumers are powerful influencers in the community especially households and schools.
The forum included talks on good agricultural practices (GAP) or food at the farm level, food safety in food service, and good manufacturing practices (GMP) or food safety in food processing.
A series of food safety awareness fora for students, local government units, and media practitioners in the province are also set next month.
"All sectors' participation is vital for us to upgrade the food supply chain and become more competitive amid the challenges btought by the Asean integration," Barcimo said. (with reports from PNA)