No. 1

Quality and product safety in Sub Saharan

Africa – challenges and opportunities

By Ivar Foss, Ivar Foss Quality Management, Norway

E-mail: ivar.foss@fossquality.no

No. 2

My background• 13 years in Det norske Veritas, 5 years as

Executive Vice President• Ivar Foss Quality Management established

in 1987• 11 years of consulting in CEEC• Last 3 years:

Consulting on trade development in Africa. Clients: Sida, Norad, UNIDO, ISO etc.

• Lived in Kenya for two years

No. 3

The Sida/Norad strategy project

The main report is available from Sida, see www.sida.se

No. 4

African trade initiativesAfrican Union:• The African Common MarketNEPAD Market Access Initiative (2001):• Points out the need to increase value added in

agro-processing and mineral beneficiation• Promotes development of the private sector• Give specific recommendations for removal of

Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)• Sets objectives for agriculture, including food

security, but is not specific with regard to Sanitary and phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

No. 5

CapeVerde

Como-ros

Mauri-tius

Sey-chelles

Barcelona

ECOWAS

ECOWAS and UEMOA

SADC

COMESA

Barcelonaand COMESA

SADC and COMESA

Tradeareas

No. 6

Vegetable export from Kenya

HCDA packing and storage facility at Nairobi Airport

No. 7

Testing laboratories

Kenya Bureau of Standards, Nairobi

No. 8

New solutions in metrology

Mobile calibration laboratory for Mozambique

No. 9

Objectives in three dimensions• Each country has to protect its own society

against hazardous and sub-standard products, imported as well as domestically produced

• Exporters have to comply with the increas-ingly demanding requirements in target markets

• Complying to requirements is not enough – the products must also be attractive in the target markets. Supply side development is required

No. 10

General and Targeted Strategies

Awareness buildingEngagement and basic training

Export-focussed

tailor madequaltiy

infrastructure

Domesticfocussedgeneral

TBT/SPSstructure

No. 11

Creating awareness -why is it so important?

No change will take place until influential stakeholders are convinced of the need for change!

No. 12

Two sets of strategiesDefensive strategies• Regulate only when

risks are significant• Limit national legisla-

tion; make use of international standards

• Simplify conformity assessment procedures

• Develop the quality infrastructure

• Improve transparency

Offensive strategies• Collect info. on Technical

Regulations, standards and conformtiy assessment in target markets

• Map market requirements• Develop a tailormade

conformity assessment infrastructure

• Develop quality as a competitive strategy

No. 13

Ensure safe products on domestic markets

Domestic suppliers

Tariffsand quotas

- Laws and regulations- Standards- Market surveillance

Border control

Trade andindustrypolicy

Imports

No. 14

The food chain approach for the SPS area

Planthealth

Animalhealth

Foodsafety

Multidisciplinary approach

• Scientific risk assessment• HACCP

IPPC CodexOIE

No. 15

The SPS infrastructure• Most African countries have not adopted the food chain

approach. Present legislation is outdated• National SPS policies are absent• Responsibilities and resouces are scatted on many ministries

(up to 6)• The infrastructure for testing and enforcement is weak• The risk analysis process is introduced only in special cases,

typically for export• Most countries are members of Codex, OIE and

IPPC

No. 16

Standardisation in Africa• 14 full members and 16 associates or corre-

sponding members of ISO• ~ 50 countries are members of Codex and OIE• 66 % of NSBs are autonomous government

bodies• The NSBs have published few standards (< 150)• The distinction between standards and

regulations is blurred• Participation in international standards

development is low

No. 17

The leapfrog strategy

ConsistentEffective

InternationalSimple

Newsolutions

Old problems and solutions

No. 18

Traditional and new approach to standards

The Reference to Standards Principle:Products complyingwith the referenced standards are pre- sumed to comply with legal require-ments

Technical regulations

Legal act

Voluntarystandards

Referenceto standards

Gov

ernm

ent

NS

B

Legal act

Regulations

Mandatorystandards

Traditionalapproach

Gov

ernm

ent

No. 19

Commonregulatoryobjectives

International(or other agreed)

standards

Country A National legislation

Country B Country C Country D

The international model for regulatory harmonisation

Evidence of conformity

Regional andsectoral structure

No. 20

Harmonisation of standards

ISO etc.

NSB NSB NSB

ARSO (African Regional Organisation for Standardisation

Regional organisation

No. 21

Recommended strategy for African standardisation

• Introduce the Reference to Standards Principle and The International Model in legislation in order to promote regional harmonisation

• Accept international standards for industrial products• Influence Codex, OIE and IPPC to take African

concerns into accounts• Establish regional African scientific committees to

support participation in international standardisation• Develop African regional standards for products

and conditions that are specific to Africa

No. 22

Regional development of con-formity assessment services• Calibration services (industrial and legal

metrology, proficiency testing)• Reference laboratories (chemistry and

microbiology for food safety, animal and plant health)

• Management system certification: Quality, environment, HACCP

• Accreditation• Scientifically based risk assessment

No. 23

Present products and markets

TraditionalLocal, DomesticRegional Africa

EmergingMiddle EastIndia, etc.

DemandingEurope, USA,

Japan

CommoditiesAgricultutal products

Value-added prod.Processed agricult. prod.Textiles, leather, etc.

A few success stories based on Just-in-time strategies

MineralsMetals, gems, oil/gas

Markets

Products

No. 24

Targeted Export Strategies

TraditionalLocal, DomesticRegional Africa

EmergingMiddle EastIndia, etc.

DemandingEurope, USA,

Japan

CommoditiesAgricultural products

Value-added prod.Processed agricult. prod.Textiles, leather, etc.

MineralsMetals, gems, oil/gas, etc.

Markets

Products

No. 25

The Just-in-Time Export Strategy

TechnicalRegulationsStandards

Competitive products

Recognised documentation

of compliance

Supplier.Produceand sell

The targetmarket

TBT 1)

TBT

SP

S SP

S

1)

Tariffsand quota

1) and other non-tariff barrier

QualityPrice

Availability Market requirements

Conformityassessment

MRAs

No. 26

Inspection

Excellence

Statistical quality control

Quality assurance/management

Total quality management

1920 1960 2000

Developmentstage

Quality as a competitive strategy

No. 27

The important role of the NSBStandardisation:

– Industrial as well as food safety, animal and plant health

– Arm length distance, independence from government

– Establish a good committee structure

Other services:– Information centre, incl. WTO enquiry point

– Laboratory testing

– Certification services

– Calibration services, possibly metrology institute

– Training

A national focal point for quality and product safety

No. 28

Conclusions• Africa faces very large and multi-facetted challenges

in the areas of quality and product safety

• National policies should guide development priorities

• Targeted and specific strategies are required in order to succeed

• Regional cooperation is important for rapid development

• Export development must be accompanied by the relevant conformity assessment structure

• Both national and regional developments require technical assistence

No. 29

How do you eat an elephant?