Overview of policy, legal and institutional environment for food safety management in the informal sector in Africa

This policy brief highlights the importance of the informal sector in food provisioning, however the sector remains inadequately regulated posing significant food safety and public health risks. It brings to the fore the fact that several policy frameworks and initiatives exist at the continental, regional and national levels to enhance food control systems. However, the implementation of existing legal frameworks in the informal sector is hindered by fragmented institutional oversight, limited technical and infrastructural capacity and absence of tailored policies that consider the realities of informal actors. It concludes that given the characteristics of the informal food sector, distinct enforcement strategies are necessary compared to those used in the formal sector. Thus, the FS4Africa project will identify and promote innovative and best practices for food safety management in the informal food sector