Food legislation in third world countries : a case study of Zambia.
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Date
1998
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Abstract
Advances in the food industry have made food consumption
increasingly complex. Varieties of foodstuffs that are
available to consumers each day are on the increase. It is
therefore essential that legislation in place ensures the
heal th of unsophisticated consumers, in the face of a
sophisticated food industry.
The need for food safety legislation is even more crucial
to Third World countries where literacy levels are low,
poverty levels high, and chronic food shortages, prevalent.
An important question that any developing country has to
address is how it can better equip its food control system
within its own limited resources? Does the answer lie in
an increase in the amount of food safety legislation? Or in
the improvement of enforcement mechanisms?
This thesis investigates the existence and effectiveness of
food safety legislation in typical Third World countries
and for this purpose, Zambia has been chosen as a
particular case study. The aim of the study is to analyse
the existing legal framework and to assess the
effectiveness of its enforcement.
This has been done by way of library research and personal
interviews. The Internet also proved to be a valuable
research tool.
From the findings of the study it is clear that although
there exists within the country a legal framework
controlling food quality and safety, the same requires
urgent amendment and more effective enforcement. It was realised from the findings of this study that the
situation that currently obtains in Zambia can only be left
unattended at the nation's peril. It is imperative that
legislation in operation is made more effective especially
with regard to food imports where a notable lacuna exists.
The enforcement of legislation is another area that
desperately requires reform.
The solution to the problem of food safety in Zambia does
not lie in advocating an increase in the quanti ty of
legislation but rather in its quality. There is a need to
increase consumer awareness through food safety and quality
consumer education programmes and the active participation
of consumer groups in matters of food safety and control.
Overcoming the problem of food safety requires the
concerted efforts on the part of all key players, the
government, industry and consumers themselves.
Description
Thesis (LL.M.)-University of Natal, Durban,1998.
Keywords
Food law and legislation--Zambia., Food law and legislation--Developing countries., Theses--Law.