Extract: Food control activities in Swaziland are fragmented. They are found in different ministries, departments and organizations/local authorities. These are the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, (Environmental Health Department), the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (the Veterinary and Home Economics Department), the Standard Section of the Ministry of Enterprise and Employment and the City Councils (Environmental Health departments). Various pieces of legislation are scattered in the above agencies and these include such Acts as the Public Health Act (1969) with its regulations which are administered by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Dairy Act – by the Ministry of Agriculture. FAO has, however provided a consultant to harmonize the food legislation. The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the control of the import and export of red meat and poultry. They are also responsible for the import and export of fruits and vegetables. The Ministry of Health is responsible for the import of other foodstuffs than the above. The Ministry of Health does not have a specific laboratory for food therefore Environmental Health Offices have to rely on other laboratories for food analysis. Reliable laboratories are found in the City Councils and the Veterinary Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. There is a general lack of capacity and expertise in the food analysis area.
There is a designated National Codex Committee which is multi-sectoral. It is composed of officials from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, and Standards Department, City Councils, National Council and the University of Swaziland. The Ministry of Health is the Codex Contact Point. There is, however, a need to strengthen the operations of this committee as it meets on a very ad hoc basis. Swaziland coordinates very well with the Department of Health of the Republic of South Africa on food safety issues. A consumer organization exists in Swaziland; however, it is no longer fully active in food safety matters as it used to be 3-5 years ago. There is a need to work in reviving the consumer organization, which used to play a vital role in creating awareness about consumer rights. The Consumer International will be asked for technical advice to ensure full consumer participation in Codex work and food safety issues.
