MADAGASCAR – Food Safety Control - Fisheries
Region: Indian Ocean
Country: Madagascar
Date: 2007-03-29
Funded By: EU
MEP has been working with the Competent Authority (CA) in Madagascar to improve the inspection and audit procedures of fish packing and processing facilities authorised to export fish products from Madagascar to the EU and other markets.
In 1997 Madagascar was recognized as a country authorized to export fishery products to the EU. In 2005 the Country faced the risk of being de-listed when the FVO-EC inspection found the performance of the national inspection system was not satisfactory and requested the execution of an action plan. This action plan was to include the audit of all approved facilities and to investigate suitable control procedures.
The MEP inspection expert, Oscar do Porto, organised and carried out the audit of all facilities in 2005 and was assisted by two auditors, Vincent Gicheteau and Sébastien Lesourd. Working with an agreed methodology the inspection team conducted the audits together with the CA Inspectors. This has provided a structure and method by which to perform future annual audits.
In 2006 the inspection body reunited, under the leadership of Oscar do Porto, and conducted a final mission. Various shortcomings were identified, such as the lack of a comprehensive manual of procedures, non-application of the methodology and a need for further training on HACCP verification and assessment.
A further programme was carried out in 2007 to cover the HACCP training needs and complementary technical assistance. Our expert in Madagascar for this secondary programme has been Michèle Roche and Michèle writes:-
‘The UE regulations on food hygiene are becoming more and more challenging and each country is obliged to conform with the new legal requirements regarding exporting to the UE.
MEP has been selected by the European Delegation in Madagascar to support both the Malagasy Competent Authority in charge of sanitary controls of fish products (ASH) and the private fishery sector.
The collaboration between the MEP expert and the ASH consists, of two missions, in during which training, advice and audits were given.
During the first mission, which took place in Antananarivo, one week’s training was given to all site and head office Malagasy inspectors. The topics covered were audit methods, EU food hygiene texts, good manufacturing practices, HACCP with practical examples of critical control points and sanitation standard operating procedures.
Due to limited time given before the arrival of the FVO inspectors, a training method was chosen to give the Malagasy inspectors the opportunity to practice audits and HACCP plan verification and to strengthen their knowledge in the actual EU regulation and the relevant Malagasy legal texts and manuals.
This working meeting between the team of the Malagasy Competent Authority, which was given just before the FVO inspection, was seen to be very important and useful for a common understanding and validation of all legal texts.
The second mission will consist of developing and creating appropriate check lists for various controls and validations, which will improve the inspection system and deliver practical training to include an audit for fishing inspectors in the field and for fishing company’s quality managers.’
Michèle will return to Madagascar to complete this project in late April 2007.