US$2.1m to boost quality standards

The US$2.1m pledged by the Indian government towards local food processing industries in the country, will boost local food exports, according to Mark Bagabe Cyubahiro, the Director General of Rwanda Bureau of Standards. The money, meant to enhance production of quality products, which meet international standards, was announced during the recent African Union Summit in Ethiopia, where India committed to support food standardization efforts in selected African countries with Rwanda among the pilot countries. Others beneficiaries are Zimbabwe, Chad and Congo Brazzaville.Bagabe was speaking at a Media Breakfast at The Manor Hotel, in Kigali, on Thursday.He disclosed that government is also investing in laboratory infrastructural development to the tune of US$1 million per year.The funds will be invested in upgrading food testing laboratories and training of technicians. “We used to take food staff for testing in Kenya and it could spend three months to get the results a move that hampered business,” Bagabe said.He added additional funds totaling US$1 million to upgrade the food testing laboratory were provided by TradeMark East Africa, whose procurement procedures have started.A similar amount has been earmarked for the set up of antibiotic residues, batteries testing, water meter testing laboratories for safety and quality competitiveness.There has been a significant decline in sub standard or counterfeit products on the local market due to efforts of the standards body.However, there is still a gap on the products and services to be certified and those that have been certified.“There is lack of awareness on the importance of a certification mark because once products are approved to sell locally, Rwandans do not look beyond the domestic market,” Bagabe stressed.Out of the 5,000 priority standards to be aligned with EAC standards, only 1,500 have been aligned, a challenge that is hampering trade within the region. RBS is challenged by old and non existing rules and regulation like the law on food safety which was established by the colonialists and technical regulation which is not in place. However, Bagabe said there were 67 mandatory standards that were established to provide guidelines and can be backed by the regulations. The food industry is said to lack skilled personnel and thus few conform to have been certified with RBS. “This does not give us confidence to certify them since they don’t conform with international standards and hence their products sell only on the local market but they should look beyond domestic market,” he stressed. RBS has introduced a platform to monitor trade environment globally and update local business community accordingly. Many local consumers are however, ignorant of product standards, especially foodstuffs.Citing some electric cables, RBS warns that there some substandard products still on the market. “Consumers don’t know the risks. They should be careful, keen on the expiry date and avoid buying things sold in the back door which most of the time are relatively cheap,” Bagabe warned.He also urged Rwandans to develop the culture of reporting on the impact of substandard or expired products.Since 2002, RBS has certified only 60 products with 29 products having been certified last year.

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US$2.1m to boost quality standards