Food safety considerations in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Small Island Developing States, or SIDS, (in the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans and the Caribbean) are pursuing innovative ways of overcoming challenges within their food systems. Many SIDS treasure their traditions and uphold the ways of hunting, fishing and gathering food they learned from previous generations, as many islands are rich in tree fruits and wild marine fish. Because of this, systematic farming agriculture was not practiced until some decades ago in many SIDS and, as a result, they can face food-nutrition insecurity situations or largely rely on imported food products.
Examples in the Pacific
For example, many Pacific Island countries are importing the majority of their food items from Australia and New Zealand. Many of those island countries have multiple outer islands within the country, therefore transporting the imported food items from the main island to the other smaller islands poses a significant logistical challenge. Food has already traveled long distances from another country, and it has to travel further to reach the local community. By the time many foods arrive to a small outer island, the quality and safety date indicated on the label has passed.
Also, many Pacific Island countries have expressed the urgent need to be equipped with their own food control capacities. Often times, the food safety aspects of their food control rely on the established framework of exporting countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. Pacific Island countries have benefitted from the advanced and well-functioning national food control systems of such countries. However, the trend in international food trade patterns is rapidly changing and they are now more apt to accept food items from other countries in Asia, North and South America, for example. While this open trade is welcomed, it raises the concern on the effectiveness of their own national food control systems as well as their imported food control measures.
FAO’s work on food safety in the Pacific
From 2017 to 2020, the Cook Islands participated in an FAO project to pilot national food safety indicators. During the project, the country identified a few fundamental food safety challenges which included 1) the limited capacity of the food safety competent authority (Ministry of Health), 2) the limited framework to secure the safety of drinking water, 3) the significant challenge in coordinating the food safety work with multiple partner agencies, different islands, communities and sectors, 4) the low level of public awareness on the importance of food safety and 5) the need to install effective food inspection schemes.
The issue mentioned above concerning outer islands was also highlighted during the project, as their small communities are often excluded from the implementable regulatory frameworks, just because of the physical distance from the main island. Developing a set of feasible and measurable national food safety indicators has been found effective to bring all the local communities and islands together to discuss the holistic steps to improve the food safety situations in the country as a whole.
In 2020, the Solomon Islands and the Cook Islands participated in FAO’s regional food safety conference for Asia and the Pacific and each sent a high-level official’s video statement to the conference. The policy makers from both countries have shared the island-based issues on food safety which are quite common among different SIDS. The conference concluded with a recommendation for the Pacific Island countries to take a regional approach so that they can work together to learn from each other.
FAO’s current interventions in the Pacific Islands include support to formulate food control legislation (Fiji); deliver training laboratory services and improve food safety, hygiene and biosecurity in fresh markets (Solomon Islands) and enhance capacities for participation in Codex standard-setting (Samoa, Tonga). The Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2020 approved the first-ever regional food standard (for kava products for use as a beverage when mixed with water) developed by the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific (CCNASWP).
A more digital and traceable future for food safety is being shaped by technologies such as blockchain and the latest methodologies of genome sequencing (i.e., Oxford Nanopore Technologies or ONT). The use of mobile applications for food delivery and online retail are showing rapid growth. At the same time, new threats to food safety are emerging due to climate and environmental change rendering the need for constant monitoring and surveillance across food chains. These threats also reinforce the importance of leveraging digital technologies as well as local solutions and implement Codes of Practices (particularly those of Codex) across supply chains.
SIDS Solutions Forum
On 30-31 August 2021, FAO is hosting a SIDS Solutions Forum to enhance the exchange of information and facilitate development. The agenda includes items on ‘Innovations and digitalization at work in the agriculture, food, nutrition, environment and health sectors’, ‘Knowledge exchange and South-South Triangular Co-operation’, ‘Scaling up SIDS solutions through partnerships and investments’, ‘Women and youth for SIDS solutions’. In attendance will be Heads of Governments, UN agencies, farmer organization representatives, NGOs, civil society and others to discuss ways to accelerate achieving the agriculture, food and nutrition-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in SIDS.
Read more about SIDS and relevant activities
- The SIDS Solutions Forum
- Food Security and Nutrition in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
- Measuring food safety – indicators to achieve SDGs
- Brochure: Policy-makers speak up for safer food in Asia and the Pacific
Watch relevant videos
- Policy-makers speak up for safer food in Asia and the Pacific: Cook Islands
- Policy-makers speak up for safer food in Asia and the Pacific: Solomon Islands
Access the SIDS Solutions Platform