A two-day strategic planning workshop for national Codex Committee members is underway at the national production agency.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Permanent Secretary at the office of the Vice-President Mrs. Fatou Jasseh Kuyateh, said the Codex Alimentarius Commission was established by the FAO and WHO to develop food standards guidelines and recommendations to protect the health of consumers and to ensure best practice in the food trade.

She stated that the fundamental objective of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is to establish sound, internationally agreed, guidelines for natural food control and a regulatory framework in the form of the food Act 2005. She said this is essential to assuring the health and safety of the Gambian population as well as ensuring international trade.

She added that the development of a strategic plan is therefor particularly important as this will not only seek to provide strategic direction and focus for the NCC, but also to achieve a higher level of food safety, quality and nutritional value in the country.

Mrs. Kuyateh further noted that this would require high political and policy commitment of all stakeholders.
Dr. Omar Touray, Chairman of the National Codex Committee, said the objective of the meeting was to set standards for the food control system and food safety.

He said the strategic plan would help the NCC a lot in their work. After the completion of the strategic plan it will be sent to donors to solicit support. The ceremony was chaired by Modou Phall, acting Executive Director of Nana.