Capacity building
Many developing countries are poorly equipped to respond to existing and emerging food safety problems. They lack technical and financial resources, an effective institutional framework, trained manpower and sufficient information about the hazards and risks involved.
The Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses (FOS) aims to help build capacity through the following activities: encouraging donor support for food safety as a priority in public health in developing countries; developing regional food safety strategies based on both the common elements outlined in the WHO food safety strategy and specific regional needs; enhancing participation in Codex activities; field studies to estimate the burden of foodborne disease; risk assessment and monitoring of chemical and microbiological hazards; establishing networks of WHO collaborating centres and other partners engaged in capacity building and providing technical assistance, such as the Global Foodborne Infections Network (GFN), formerly known as Global Salm-Surv (GSS); and educational tools for food safety initiatives.
The majority of the capacity building activities within WHO are carried out in close collaborations with the regional advisers.
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Summary of Capacity Development work, 2011-2012
pdf, 409kb
Part V of Codex Document CX/CAC 12/35/14-Add.1: OTHER MATTERS ARISING FROM FAO AND WHO CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY (Prepared by FAO and WHO)