TAHA in collaboration with TRIAS have conducted capacity building training to Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) staff to enhance food safety. Gracing a four-day training recently to 10 ZBS officers at the Maruhubi Tourism Development College in Unguja, the bureau's Director General Rahima Ali Bakari assured to collaborate with the two organizations and monitor quality of goods produced to ensure their safety and suitability for human consumption. She further assured the public that ZBS will make sure that all products including vegetables and fruits produced in the country are certified and measure to their set standards and fit for human consumption. Equally, she expressed accolades to the European Union (EU), TAHA, and TRIAS for support in training that is not only crucial to the organization, but also to the food industry in Zanzibar. Elaborating, the Director General said the training will make a great difference to the ZBS staff in fulfilling their primary role of developing, promoting, and enforcing standards to ensure health and safety of the consumers are respected. She noted “This will build trust to manufacturers and traders of goods and services in the market, hence influence the economic development of the country.” On his part, TAHA Food and Standards Coordinator, Naimana Daniel, said the training will improve the capacity of ZBS staff in enforcing standards and related frameworks on horticulture and ultimately guaranteeing consumers’ safety of their health. “This training aimed at enhancing ZBS staff capacity will enable them to carry out scientific tests on various horticultural products to improvefood safety compliance,” pointed out Mr Daniel. Commenting, TRIAS Project Manager, Vicky Macha, said that the project expected to reach 66 Wards within five regions and 10 districts in Unguja and Pembawill focus on four groups of foodstuffs, mainly Green pepper, watermelon, tomatoes and bananas. The KUZA project that comprises the capacity building training is a four-year scheme funded by the European Union (EU) and facilitated by TRIAS in collaboration with TAHA, the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar, Andreas Hermes Akademe, and DBV with the aim of improving food security in the Islands.
