The Food Safety for Africa (FS4Africa) proposal is designed to address food safety challenges in Africa. Focus is given to addressing food safety issues associated with weak channels for value chain organisation, traceability & authentication of safe food. Food safety challenges addressed include mycotoxin contamination in multiple food crops including food and feed, pesticide residues in grains and vegetables, microbial contamination particularly Escherichia coli contamination, and food adulteration of foods.

The aim of the proposal is to improve African food safety systems – with particular attention to the informal sector – through local market transformation enhancing food security and regional trade while reducing negative impacts on the environment, biodiversity, health and society. By utilizing expertise, skills, networks and tools available within the consortium comprising partners based in Africa and Europe, we aim to address food safety challenges through policy development & implementation of existing policies, implementation of strategies uplift the informal sector using a combination of tools, approaches to transform the informal sector to a mezzanine status utilizing digital tools, communication of strategies, utilization of sound scientific, social and technological approaches.

Tools in physical sciences, social science and humanities including in behavioral science, One Health, preservation of biodiversity is given attention in the proposal through implementation of interdisciplinary approaches that given consideration to human, animal, environmental and plant health. By employing strategies that meet "the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The project will leverage on activities of other projects in previous and current EU projects and involve collaboration with the Joint Research Center especially as EC, Knowledge Center for Global Food and Nutrition Security.