Accra, Oct. 13, GNA - Nii Amasah Namoale, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in-charge of Fisheries, on Tuesday said abuse of agro-chemicals and new technologies could affect food safety through chemical residues.

He said to address the issue agricultural extension staff were expected to provide extension services and technological transfer to ensure the appropriate application of fertilizers and agro-chemicals for maximum yield and safety. Nii Namoale was speaking at the 2009 World Food Day Forum for Food Safety organised by MOFA in collaboration with Ministry of Health and Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to create consumer awareness on food safety and food security in Accra.

This year's World Food Day is under the theme "Achieving Food Security in Times of Crisis - The Role of Food Safety". He said to ensure food safety in terms of nutritional values; the ministry in collaboration with its research institutions developed varieties of healthy planting materials which were distributed by its frontline extension staff to farmers. On fish and meat safety, Nii Namoale said government would continue to develop and improve facilities at landing sites and abattoirs to enhance safety.

Dr Benjamin Kumbour, Deputy Minister of Health, said food and water borne diarrhoea had devastating effects over both developed and developing countries, leading to the deaths of over two million people annually worldwide. He stressed the need for new a framework and policies to address future management of food safety, adding, "food safety is no longer the normal daily issue but the integral part of all sectors and needed a sectoral approach."

In a speech read for him, Mr Musa S. Mbenga, FAO Representative in Ghana, said FAO contributed to reducing food related risks by providing scientific advice to CODEX member countries and built their capacities on food safety management and prepared to assist Ghana. He pledged FAO's continuous support to MOFA to ensure food security, achieve high food safety standards and generate incomes for stakeholders in the food sector.

Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, Former Director-General, Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said Africa was the only continent that was facing continuous worsening food security.