High-level representatives from government ministries and private sector jointly drew a regional roadmap to improve food labelling and packaging in the Eastern Africa subregion, seeking to enhance nutrition outcomes.

The roadmap sets out priorities for national governments and manufacturing enterprises to strengthen their food and agriculture trade and consumption through building the capacities of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in food packaging and labeling. These actions would contribute to the efforts being made to enhance cross national and cross-regional trade of agrifood commodities in support of the implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

High-level representatives from ministries in charge of agriculture, nutrition, health, trade and standards, as well as the academia from the three Eastern Africa nations (Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda) have attended the workshop. Coordinators of MSMEs, consumer organizations, Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network (SBN), partner institutions from the United Nations and Non-Governmental Organizations have also taken part. The workshop, was held from 16 to 17 September 2024 in Entebbe, Uganda, under the theme, “Strengthening the role of MSMEs in improving the food environment through better food packaging and food labeling.”

“Without proper nutrition education, communication, and adequate  food packaging and labelling of foods, consumers cannot make better informed decisions regarding access to healthy and safe food. Standard food labelling and food advertising can guide the food industry on product reformulation, while at the same time, provide consumers with relevant information and skills to inform their decisions and choices in a rapidly changing food environment,” said Farayi Zimudzi, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa and Representative to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), a.i. in her keynote address, delivered by Anthonio Querido, FAO Representative in Uganda.

She further noted, “FAO’s work is to assist countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to achieve food security, improve nutrition, including promoting nutritious food and access to healthy diets. As a result, proper food packaging and food labelling and applying the right standards during food processing, retailing and selling are at the heart of increasing access to diverse, safe and healthy food products for the population.”

About MSMEs in Eastern Africa

As part of the private sector, MSMEs have an important contribution to the food systems and consequently, employment, food security and improved nutrition. SMEs form over 60 percent of all registered entities in East African countries. This number goes up to 90 percent when micro-businesses are included. In their quest to expand, these MSMEs face various challenges, including: cross border trade barriers, limited capacity to add value to food products, high business costs, limited financing, among others.

In this light, FAO Subregional Office for Eastern Africa has been implementing a project to understand the food packaging and labelling standards landscape in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. The project aims to contribute to the improvement of nutrition outcomes in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region through enhancing the capacity of MSMEs in responsible food packaging and labelling – the action of which will ultimately fostering the implementation of AfCFTA.

To date, the project has engaged relevant stakeholders in the three countries to comprehend the food standards available in each of the countries, and at regional and global level; as well as identify related gaps, and challenges and recommend priority actions.