The Malawi National Codex Committee (NCC) is undergoing training on the Data Generation for Codex Alimentarius from Wednesday to Friday, 17th November in Salima.
Among others, the training will inform the Malawi NCC of the basic principles of toxicology, risk profile, exposure and consumption data and the overview of the FAO/WHO committees and the general codex framework of risk analysis and risk assessment.
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is an intergovernmental body established in 1963 by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization to develop international food standards. Its main objectives are to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. Malawi became a member of Codex Alimentarius Commission in 1971, and the Government of Malawi designated the Malawi Bureau of Standards as the Codex Contact Point for Malawi. As required by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Malawi established a National Codex Committee (NCC) in 1997, as a means of enhancing the participation of the country in Codex work and the national consultation process on Codex matters.
Speaking on the opening function of the training, the Director General of the Malawi Bureau of Standards, Dr. Bernard Thole, who is also the contact point for Codex in Malawi, encouraged the participants to take note of the areas of interest to Malawi under the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). He further said that the training is one of the critical stages in the development of national, regional and Codex standards on food products.
Speaking on the official opening remarks of the training, the co-chairperson of the NCC in Malawi, Dr. Julius Chulu, encouraged the participants to take the training seriously as the knowledge gained will assist Malawi to effectively participate in the development of Codex and National standards.
This is a three days capacity building session which has been sponsored by the Codex Trust Fund 2.