BUJUMBURA, February 20th (ABP) – The project to support the sub-regional center of excellence in nutritional sciences (PA-EANSI) in partnership with the BBN, the CFCIB and the rural entrepreneurship development programme (PRODER) has been organizing from 19 to 21 February 2025, in Bujumbura, a workshop to raise awareness among stakeholders in the agribusiness, hotel and catering sectors on compliance with standards and quality control of food products.
In his opening speech at the workshop, the permanent secretary at the Ministry of National Education and Scientific Research, Frédéric Bangirinama, who represented the minister, said that the problem of compliance with food product quality standards in Burundi is both complex and multidimensional. Several factors hinder the effective implementation of these standards and directly affect the competitiveness of local products, public health and the sustainability of the agribusiness, hotel and catering sectors.
He also pointed out that capacity building for stakeholders in the above-mentioned sectors would contribute significantly to food security, decent employment, sustainable and integrated economic development, and the availability of quality and competitive products on international markets.
This awareness-raising workshop is therefore a pivotal moment in the collective approach aimed at improving the quality and safety of food products in the agribusiness, hotel and catering sectors in Burundi. Indeed, these sectors are at the heart of our daily lives both in terms of economic development and public health. Compliance with standards and quality control of food products are not only legal requirements, but also imperatives to ensure healthy and safe food for the population, he underscored.
He did not fail to point out that with the support of the African Development Bank (AfDB), EANSI was able to equip itself with state-of-the-art infrastructure and laboratories. Thanks to this support, the center of the University of Burundi (EANSI) was able to develop modern laboratories to analyze food products, guarantee their quality and safety and thus support the export of food products “Made in Burundi” to regional and international markets.
Regarding the challenges, Bangirinama indicated that the agribusiness sector, in particular, has a strategic role to play in food security and reducing malnutrition, two major issues that affect communities, especially in rural areas. He affirmed that it is by working together that the competitiveness of companies will be improved, while guaranteeing the health of Burundian citizens.
For his part, the coordinator of the PA-EANSI project, Mélance Ntunzwenimana, said that this meeting aims to raise awareness among economic stakeholders on the importance of respecting quality and food safety standards, discuss current challenges and jointly identify solutions adapted to the Burundian context. For him, it is an opportunity to encourage the adoption of good practices in quality management and control in agribusiness, hotel and catering companies, promote a culture of quality through training and certification initiatives. He promised that EANSI, in collaboration with its partners, will support the private sector and public institutions in achieving these goals.
The Director General of BBN, Jérémie Ngezahayo invited manufacturers working in the agribusiness sector to produce while respecting the standards. According to him, before setting up an agribusiness production company, it is necessary to find experts in the field to help them produce products that meet the standards.