A one day sensitization and information sharing seminar for the Media and Consumer Interest Groups, organized by the West Africa Quality Programme (WAQP), in collaboration with the National Codex / Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (NCSPSC), was held on Wednesday 18 November, 2009 at the Paradise Suites Hotel.

The objectives of the seminar are to create understanding among media and consumer associations of the work and output of the WAQP and the adopted standards and code of practice developed by the National Codex/Sanitary and Phytosanitary Committee (NCSPSC) and their implications.

Delivering the opening remarks, Alhaji Serigne Faye, the Director of Radio and Television Programmes at the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), deputizing the Director General, said food safety issues have become a matter of concerns not only in the Gambia but the world at large and that considering that the health and well being of a person are largely determined by the quality of food and drinks that is consumed, it imperative for systems to be put in place that will ensure that people are served foods that are safe.

The GRTS Director expressed his appreciation of the recognition given to the media and consumer interest groups as key stakeholders in the food safety system. He acknowledged the electronic and print media are crucial in the effective promotion of food safety as it is the television, radio, newspapers, billboards that are utilized to introduce and evoke interest in food products put on the market.

He added " it is equally recognized that, old and new, media as information tool, can be utilized inadvertently or deliberately to mislead and misinform in the advertisement of food products to the detriment of the health of consumers. Hence, the need for a Code of Practice that is aims at curbing the promotion for consumption unsafe and unhealthy foods in the country."

the desire and interest to forge ahead as a healthy people and a healthy nation can only be attained and guaranteed if foods that are produce and imported into the country meet certain minimum standards."

The Director General said it is for this reason that the GRTS must be interested and involved in food safety issues and pledged that it will continue to collaborate and give coverage and visibility to the activities of the WAQP and NCSPSC in The Gambia.

He thanked the media institutions for their support and participation and also the WAQP and NCSPSC for the good work they are doing to strengthen food safety, animal and plant health in the country.

Speaking earlier, Mr. Joseph Ndene, the National Technical Coordinator, said the WAQP is a technical assistance programme implemented by ECOWAS in the Non-UEMOA countries and Mauritania, executed by UNIDO and.funded by the EU.

"Its purpose is to strengthen competitiveness and ensuring compliance with trade rules and regulations, in particular the WTO, TBT and SPS agreements, by upgrading existing regional and national quality infrastructures," said Mr. Ndene.

According to Mr. Ndene, the programme was launched in March 2008 and that since then it has been working with several partners in order to realize its objectives.

He noted that although the programme has collaborated with media practitioners and representatives of consumer interest groups during this time, this is the first purposely planned activity to work directly these targeted stakeholders.

"We in the programme are very much aware of the importance of the role of the media in endeavours like ours in ensuring that the required understanding and mobilisationfor our success is achieved" said the Mr. Ndene.

Mr. Gabriel Latdior Ndow, Director of Policy and Consumer Affairs at the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) also explained the role of his institution as the regulator, mandated by the Communications Act 2009, of matters dealing with broadcasting including advertisement.

The seminar was chaired Mr. Ousman Sillah, chairperson of NCSPSC Communication Support technical committee, who dilated on the importance of the seminar as well as the role of the media and consumer groups in the promotion of food safety.

The National Codex / Sanitary Phytosanitary Committee, supported by the WAQP, has now adopted three standards on Edible Fats and Oils, Food Labeling and Food Advertising Code.