Gov't urges action on food safety
Mpho Mokwape | Tuesday June 9, 2026 14:02
In commemorating the annual event, the ministry, through its acting permanent secretary, Christopher Nyanga, highlighted the serious impact of unsafe food on public health and urged all stakeholders to take responsibility for food safety across the entire food chain.
This year's World Food Safety Day was observed under the theme, 'From Burden to Solutions: Safe Food Everywhere'. The ministry stated that the theme focused on moving beyond identifying the challenges caused by unsafe food and implementing practical solutions to reduce foodborne illnesses.
According to the health officials, unsafe food remains a major public health concern around the world as contaminated food can cause more than 200 diseases, including diarrhoea and other serious illnesses that affect millions of people each year.
The ministry noted that some groups are particularly vulnerable to foodborne diseases, including young children, pregnant women, older people, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
'Unsafe food is a major public health challenge worldwide, contributing to foodborne diseases that affect millions of people annually,' the ministry stated.
Foodborne illnesses not only affect individuals and families but also place significant pressure on healthcare systems. The ministry stated that the impact extends beyond health, affecting economies, trade, tourism, education, and livelihoods. The statement cited estimates from the World Health Organization indicating that Botswana continues to face a substantial burden from foodborne diseases.
According to the estimates, the country experiences more than 25,000 cases of foodborne illnesses per 100,000 people. The ministry explained that this means approximately one in four people may be affected by foodborne diseases, underlining the scale of the problem in Botswana.
Despite these figures, the ministry stressed that foodborne diseases are preventable through proper food safety measures and responsible practices throughout the food production and supply chain. The ministry said preventing food contamination requires the involvement of many groups, including farmers, food manufacturers, distributors, transporters, vendors, food handlers, consumers, policymakers, researchers and educators.
Officials emphasised that every stage of the food chain plays a role in protecting public health and reducing the risk of contamination. The theme for this year's observance encourages governments, businesses and consumers to focus on practical and sustainable solutions that can improve food safety standards and reduce illness.
The ministry identified several measures that can help improve food safety, including proper food handling, good hygiene practices, stronger regulatory oversight, adherence to food safety standards, prompt responses to food recalls and disease outbreaks, and reporting unsafe food products.
According to the ministry, these actions can significantly reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses and improve public health outcomes.
'From burden to solutions: safe food everywhere requires moving beyond identifying the burdens of unsafe food to advancing practical, sustainable solutions,' the statement said.
The Ministry of Health called on all actors in the food chain, including consumers, to play an active role in promoting food safety. Officials said food safety should not be viewed as the responsibility of government alone, but as a shared obligation involving everyone who produces, handles, sells, or consumes food.
The ministry encouraged the public to adopt simple practices that can help prevent food contamination and reduce the spread of disease.
'Food safety is everyone's business and simple actions can make a big difference,' the ministry stated.
The statement also emphasised that food is a basic human right and that access to safe, nutritious and healthy food remains a national priority.
As Botswana marked World Food Safety Day, the Ministry of Health renewed its call for greater awareness, stronger collaboration and practical action to reduce foodborne diseases and ensure safer food for all citizens.