World Food Safety Day 2023: Why Is It Difficult To Maintain Food Quality In Rural Areas?

This year, the fifth edition of World Food Safety Day is celebrated with the theme "Food Standards Save Lives".

Thousands of people die due to foodborne illnesses every year. World Food Safety Day is celebrated on 7th June every year to raise awareness about the importance of prevention, detection, and management of foodborne risks. Food standards help to ensure what we eat is safe and reduce the burden of foodborne diseases globally. But it is difficult to maintain food quality and safety standards in rural areas. Hence, food contamination and adulteration remain a major concern in rural India.

To understand the factors affecting compliance with food safety standards in rural areas, we connected with Iqbal Ahmed, Senior Advisor, Marginal Farmers at Transform Rural India (TRI). Excerpts follow:

Q. Why is there a lack of quality control measures with food in rural India?

The lack of quality control measures with food in rural India can be attributed to several factors. Some of the key reasons include:

1. Limited resources and infrastructure: Rural areas often have limited access to resources and infrastructure, such as proper storage facilities, transportation, and modern equipment. This makes it difficult to maintain food quality and safety standards.
2. Insufficient regulatory enforcement: In many rural areas, there is a lack of effective regulatory enforcement, which can lead to non-compliance with food safety standards. This is often due to inadequate staffing, training, and resources for regulatory agencies.
3. Low awareness and education: Many rural communities may not be aware of the importance of food safety and quality control measures. This lack of awareness can lead to improper handling, storage, and preparation of food, increasing the risk of contamination and foodborne illnesses.
4. Informal food supply chains: Rural areas often rely on informal food supply chains, which can be difficult to monitor and regulate. This can result in food being sold without proper quality control measures in place.
5. Poverty and economic constraints: Many rural communities face economic challenges, which can lead to a focus on affordability rather than quality. This can result in the consumption of low-quality food products that may not meet safety standards.
6. Cultural practices: Some traditional food preparation and preservation methods used in rural areas may not align with modern food safety standards, leading to potential quality control issues.

Efforts to improve food quality control in rural India would require addressing these challenges through a combination of education, infrastructure development, regulatory enforcement, and support for local food producers.

Q. Do you think there is limited education and knowledge on food safety in rural India by people, if yes then why?

Agricultural extension services, which provide education and support to farmers and rural communities, do not have the resources or capacity to effectively disseminate information on food safety practices. Marginal farmers' limited or no exposure to modern food safety practices and technologies, a focus on meeting basic needs along with illiteracy combine to contribute to limited education and knowledge on food safety.

Q. What are the measures to improve the infrastructure and storage facilities to help food safety in rural India?

Construction of new storage facilities, the implementation of food safety regulations, and the promotion of sustainable agriculture practices. Additionally, use of technology and AI can also play a significant role in improving food safety by enabling better monitoring and tracking of food products throughout the supply chain.

Q. How can the supply chains in rural India be regulated to improve food safety?

Regulating food supply chains can be a very complex task. Not sure if it is doable. What we can do is regular inspections of food storage facilities, testing of food products for contaminants, and enforcing penalties for non-compliance. A better way would be to educate farmers, food producers, and consumers about food safety practices.

Q. What kind of economic pressures does rural India face when it comes to food safety in India?

Survival or meeting basic needs overshadows food safety practices. A focus on affordability rather than quality results in the consumption of low-quality food products that may not meet safety standards.

World Food Safety Day is jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with Member States and other relevant organizations. This year, the fifth edition of World Food Safety Day is celebrated with the theme "Food Standards Save Lives".