The government has launched a new programme to ensure the quality and certification of all products circulating on the market, as part of efforts to strengthen food safety and protect consumers. The initiative was presented at the Maputo International Fair (FACIM 2024) by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which emphasised the importance of a rigorous approach to assessing product conformity.
According to a FACIM press release, the Conformity Assessment Programme (PAC), coordinated by the National Institute for Standardisation and Quality (INNOQ), aims to ensure that all products imported and exported to and from Mozambique meet the established quality and safety standards.
According to Guilhermina Nhamposa, director of INNOQ’s testing and inspection division, the PAC ‘is fundamental to ensuring that the products consumed by Mozambicans are of adequate quality and free from adulteration’.
The PAC is divided into three routes: the first for occasional exporters, who make less than three shipments a year, the second for frequent exporters, with more than three shipments a year, and the third for large-volume exporters, who are monitored continuously. ‘Each route has specific criteria to ensure that products comply with national and international standards,’ explained Guilhermina Nhamposa.
In addition to the PAC, the government presented the ExportMoz Solutions project, an initiative that offers specialised support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) interested in starting or expanding their export operations. According to the ExportMoz representative, the project provides not only essential information on export processes, but also advice to help SMEs fulfil the quality and safety standards demanded by international markets.
‘Our aim is to create a transparent system that boosts national development by strengthening exports,’ he said.
Another highlight of the event was the food fortification strategy developed by the National Food Fortification Committee (CONFAM), which aims to ensure that all food produced and consumed in Mozambique is properly enriched with essential nutrients.
Eduarda Zandamela, CONFAM’s coordinator, revealed that ‘the production of wheat flour, oils and other food products is already being reinforced to combat chronic malnutrition’, and that small industries will also be obliged to adhere to food fortification.
The CONFAM coordinator added that the government is updating food fortification legislation to increase the coverage of fortified products by more than 80 per cent by 2027, as a measure to combat malnutrition in Mozambique. ‘We want to ensure that all food consumed in the country meets health and food safety requirements,’ she concluded.
