Food Control in Uganda: Gaps and Opportunities in the Rice Value Chain

Abstract

Food control defines activities, along the food supply chain, that provide consumer protection and ensure that all foods provided for human consumption are wholesome, conform to safety and quality requirements, and are accurately labelled as prescribed by law. This review analysed the capacity and performance of the existing food control system in Uganda, with specific focus on the rice value chain. This study targeted food safety laws, regulations and agreements to which Uganda is signatory for gaps in, and opportunities for improvement of food control along the rice value chain. The operational components of a food control system including inspection, testing, certification, enforcement, and surveillance controls along the rice value chain were investigated. The analysis established there is a significant threat to food safety due to outdated laws, uncoordinated regulatory framework, overlapping mandates, limited testing capacity, inadequate human resource, limited awareness of contaminants and lack of epidemiological data on food outbreaks along the rice value chain. Food control systems must strike a balance between food security, food safety, market access gains and protection of public health.