Namibia Food Safety Policy.

The Namibia Food Safety Policy 2015 aims to ensure food safety for all consumers within Namibia and provide sufficient guarantees for food products traded nationally or exported. The Policy delineates the responsibilities of various ministries, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, and the Ministry of Urban and Rural Development. Each ministry is tasked with specific aspects of food safety, ranging from consumer health to processed food safety and fisheries food safety. The Policy establishes a National Food Safety Council as the central authority for coordinating food safety matters across these ministries. It adopts a 'farm-to-fork' principle, ensuring food safety throughout the value chain, and emphasizes the role of private sector operators in maintaining traceability systems. The Policy mandates the application of Hazard Analysis Critical Point (HACCP) systems and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to minimize food safety risks. Regulations under this policy cover various aspects, including the hygiene requirements for food production, handling, processing, and packaging. Specific provisions are made for food of animal origin, fisheries products, pesticide residue limits, contaminants, extraction solvents, radioactivity in foodstuffs, and packaging materials. The Policy also includes measures for food labelling to prevent misleading consumers and ensure transparency. The Namibia Food Safety Policy underscores the importance of training food safety regulators and designating national reference laboratories for food safety testing. It outlines enforcement measures for non-compliance, including administrative actions and penalties.