National Codex Committee Stakeholders’ Information Forum
Globally, food and nutrition security are of paramount importance to many countries, Guyana being no exception. One body which is assisting in the fight to maintain food and nutrition security in Guyana is the National Codex Committee(NCC)whose mandate it is to facilitate national discussion on food safety issue and present positions on food safety issues affecting producers and consumers.
This Committee has a formalized structure, its members meet monthly, has an annual work programme which seeks to increase awareness on food safety issues and involve all relevant sectors in the discussion on food and nutrition security; is supported by a national contact point manned by a technical officer. Its members represent various public, private and non-governmental institutions/bodies responsible for some aspect of food safety. The body has increased its representation and participation in regional and international fora on food safety through partnerships and collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
Through the South-South Cooperation project, Guyana benefited from technical support for the preparation of a Strategic Plan, a Codex procedural manual which seeks to further formalize the operations of the NCC in Guyana; and two members of the NCC participated in a one (1) week internship in Chile during which they visited and held discussions with several institutions which comprise Chile’s NCC, learning about their structure and procedures. This internship assisted the NCC to structure its Strategic Plan and the experience will undoubtedly positively influence its operations and organization of the local NCC’s work.
On April 20th, 2017, the NCC held its first national stakeholders’ forum which was attended by thirty-five (35) participants from various public, private and non-governmental organizations in Guyana and was aimed at updating stakeholders’ information on global food safety issues and its impact on local producers and consumers. This activity was funded by the Pesticide and Toxic Chemical Control Board with logistical support provided by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Presentations were made by NCC Members who were provided the opportunity to participate in the regional and international Codex for a during 2016 and 2017. The Body plans to host another such forum during the last quarter of this year.
Through partnerships, the NCC, is presently co-chaired by IICA which actively supports the body’s activities and provides logistical and financial support for its participation in codex fora. As Guyana continues to be actively involved in Codex, the IICA Delegation in Guyana stands ready to provide whatever support it can to ensure that food safety is given the attention it deserves in this country.
More information: maxine.parris-aaron@iica.int