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Codex and the SDGs How participation in Codex Alimentarius supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ©FAO/Olivier Thuillier ©FAO/Alessandra Benedetti except lowerrightphoto: ©Flooded CellarProductions Cover photographs

Codex and the SDGs How participation in Codex Alimentarius supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

by Sue Price

Reviewed by Michael Clarke, Markus Lipp and Anna Rappazzo Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Soren Madsen, Satoko Murakami and Catherine Mulholland World Health Organization Sarah Cahill, Tom Heilandt, Hilde Kruse and David Massey Codex Secretariat

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Introduction ...... 1

SDG1 NO POVERTY ...... 4 Codex in Uganda The case of Uganda’s fish export ban...... 6 Codex Trust Fund in Guinea Guinea launches Codex Trust Fund project ...... 8

SDG2 ZERO HUNGER ...... 10 Codex in the Cook Islands Implementing a food security system from farm to fork ...... 16 Codex in Chile Labelling for improved diets ...... 18 Key facts ...... 20

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ...... 22 Codex and China The fastest international food standard ever developed ...... 26 Codex and street food Codex helps keep cities free from food borne disease ...... 28 Key facts ...... 30

SDG8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 32 Codex in Honduras Social well-being is everybody’s business ...... 34

SDG12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION ...... 38 Codex in the United States of America Providing data for development of Maximum Residue Limit Codex ...... 40 Pistachio waste Embracing opportunity in Iran ...... 44 Key facts ...... 46

SDG17 PARTNERSHIP FOR THE GOALS ...... 48

iii Acronyms

AMR antimicrobial resistance

CAC Codex Alimentarius Commission

CTF Codex Trust Fund

DALY Disability-Adjusted Life Year

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FAS Foreign Agricultural Services (US)

FBD foodborne disease

GAP good agricultural practices

GHG greenhouse gas

GHP good hygiene practices

HACCP hazard analysis (and) critical control points

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development (UN)

NCC National Codex Committee

NCD noncommunicable disease

ML maximum level

MRL maximum residue limit

SDG Sustainable Development Goal

SIDS Small Island Developing State(s)

SOFI State of Food and Nutrition in the World (report)

SCP sustainable consumption and production

SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

TBT Technical Barriers to Trade

UNICEF United Nations’ Children’s Fund

WFP World Food Program (UN)

WHA World Health Assembly

WHO World Health Organization

WTO World Trade Organization

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Introduction

he Codex Alimentarius is a collection of all Codex texts are based on sound scientific evidence T the texts (standards, guidelines and codes provided by independent and impartial scientific of practice) adopted by the Codex Alimentarius expert bodies convened by FAO and WHO. The Commission (CAC). CAC is the central part of risk assessments carried out by these bodies form the joint Food and Agriculture Organization the basis for the risk management work that takes of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health place in the technical committees of CAC. They deal Organization (WHO) Food Standards Programme with ‘horizontal’ issues (e.g. ‘general subjects’ such and was established by FAO and WHO to protect as food hygiene, food additives and contaminants, consumer health and ensure fair practices in the pesticide residues and nutrition) or ‘vertical’ food trade. It first met in 1963. issues (e.g. commodities such as fresh fruits and

1 vegetables, fats and oils and spices). The CAC today particularly aim at improving opportunity for those has a membership of 188 Member Countries and across the world who currently face disadvantages one Member Organization (the European Union). caused by poverty, hunger and malnutrition, poor Over 230 organizations, including UN organizations, health, climate change, inequality due to gender IGOs, NGOs and industry bodies, have observer or ethnicity, inadequate access to education and status and may participate in the meetings. The energy and insufficient rights at work. As prominent Codex standards-development process is based on international organizations and world leaders in inclusivity, transparency and consensus building. their respective fields of expertise, both FAO and WHO have been entrusted with the custodianship Codex food safety texts are the references for food of a number of the indicators that enable global safety used in the World Trade Organization’s monitoring of progress towards achieving the SDGs. Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (WTO-SPS Agreement) which means that Codex The achievement of the Sustainable Development has far-reaching implications for resolving trade Goals depends on countries implementing disputes and ensuring that safe food is circulating integrated policies and programmes tailored fairly in global trade. The WTO Agreement on towards the key targets identified for each SDG. Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO-TBT Agreement), Codex provides the global community with science- though not making explicit reference, relies on based standards that can help countries to meet Codex standards as the benchmark for international a number of those targets. The Codex Trust Fund harmonization in the area of food such as quality plays an important role in providing financial and and consumer information standards. technical support to eligible countries, ensuring that the benefits of Codex standards are available to all In 2003, the Codex Trust Fund (CTF) was established and that no one is left behind. by FAO and WHO to support eligible developing and transition economy countries to build stronger, This publication shows how the twin Codex sustainable national Codex systems that will make mandate of setting standards to protect the health it possible for all countries to participate fully and of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food effectively in Codex. Funded by contributions from trade contributes to helping countries achieve the Codex Members, the CTF supports countries to SDGs, with a focus on six specific SDGs and their strengthen their national Codex structures and build interconnections with other SDGs. In some cases, their capacity to participate more effectively in the there are clear linkages between Codex work and development of international food standards. SDG targets, while in others the pathways through which Codex work makes a contribution are less In 2015, the UN Member States adopted the 2030 direct. SDGs are interconnected and mutually Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes reinforcing; success in one of these goals can also a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), generate change in others less directly associated divided into 169 specific targets and agreed with with Codex work. the ambition ‘to leave no one behind’. The SDGs

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3 Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG1) aims at the eradication of extreme poverty by 2030. In the same timeframe, this goal aims to at least halve the proportion of people living in poverty in all its dimensions. In 2015, approximately 10 percent of the world’s population – 736 million people – lived on less than USD 1.25 a day, the internationally recognized threshold for extreme poverty. Over half of these people live in sub-Saharan Africa and the majority live in rural areas and depend upon agriculture for a living.

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“Food safety intersects with poverty in two critical ways: There is a clear overlap between the aims of SDG1 to the poor as consumers of food and as agents in reduce poverty, SDG2 on food security and sustainable agri-food value chains.” – The Food Safety Imperative, agriculture and SDG3, to advance health and wellbeing. World Bank, 2019 For consumers everywhere, safe food has a positive impact on income generation: a healthy individual is more Those living in poverty or extreme poverty particularly rely able to engage in productive activities to earn a living; safe either on primary food production for a living, or they rely food contributes to increased nutrition, improved health on some form of work within the agriculture sector. Thus, and food security. Conversely, poor health can hinder any means of making the food sector in countries more people’s ability to work and this, coupled with the cost of reliable and profitable holds out the prospect of helping to healthcare, can push individuals and entire families into reduce poverty, while simultaneously improving the food poverty. This leads to increased hunger and malnutrition security and health of poor populations. resulting from reduced availability of or access to safe and nutritious food. According to WHO, the annual global Many complex and interrelated factors contribute to the cost of foodborne disease is estimated to be around alleviation of poverty. Codex contributes by making relevant USD 110 billion due to losses in productivity and trade and standards available for use by all 189 members, which can costs incurred for treatment of illnesses caused by the be important in enhancing the trade and export potential consumption of unsafe food. For those living in poverty, of their food sectors as well as ensuring safe food and foodborne disease can result in a devastating loss of fair trade also in domestic markets. According to FAO and income or worse and it is the poor in developing and the ILO, it is principally at the local and rural level where transition economy countries that bear the brunt of the agri-food workers living in extreme poverty can generate foodborne disease burden. an income. Globally, more than 80 percent of smallholder farmers operate in local and domestic food markets. For all nations and the millions who work in agri-food value chains, the adoption of Codex standards can improve With its focus on developing and transition economy access to global trade and consequently lead to higher countries, the Codex Trust Fund helps create the increased and more secure incomes, as well as improve the quality potential for economic development which comes and availability of food in domestic markets. On the other with access to international trade in food. Economic hand, there are many examples of the negative impacts on development is the focus of SDG8, but it also has a livelihoods that may result when countries cannot or do not significant impact on poverty reduction when it leads to apply measures to ensure the safety of food. job creation and job security. This is particularly important The failure to apply such measures can result in illness or as the economy of many of the developing and transition even death, as well as long-lasting consequences for entire economy countries is heavily reliant on agricultural food-based sectors and widespread job losses. production.

SDG1 NO POVERTY 5 ©FAO/Declan McCormack

Codex in Uganda

The case of

The Ugandan government be kept safe so that the Uganda’s fish turned to Codex as part consumers don’t have any of its battle to win back health problems.” Now she export ban the European market. ensures her boats are kept “We now apply the Codex clean, her employees wear General Principles of protective clothing and that Food Hygiene,” says they have clean bathroom Paul Omanyi, a fisheries facilities available. Her site inspector, “as well as is also now fenced in and the Hazard Analysis and there is clean running water Critical Control Points available to wash down all In the late 1990’s, valued the losses resulting (HACCP) system and the areas. Fish is cleaned and Uganda’s fish sector from these bans at around Code of Practice for Fish the correct temperature suffered a crushing blow USD 36.9 million. “We lost and Fishery Products, maintained throughout when Europe, its major the market,” says Dr Ruth which we’ve made a the cold chain, from the export-market, refused Nankabirwa, Uganda’s requirement in the fishing landing site to the packing to accept products from Minister of Fisheries. industry.” factories and on to export. Lake Victoria in three “And regaining it was a The government also Ugandan entrepreneur, consecutive incidents tug of war. So, we don’t addressed the root causes Gertrude Nabukera owns over a four-year period. want to go back to that.” of the contamination, a landing site with 90 Bacterial contamination A significant number of which were associated with fishing boats and employs and generally poor workers felt the brunt of irresponsible practices in hundreds of people locally. hygiene practices meant the ban. Fishing employs local industrial and farming She was badly affected by the fish repeatedly more than 1.2 million sectors. So, in adherence the bans and so adopted failed Europe’s rigorous Ugandans, according to to targets of SDG6, strict the Codex guidelines standards of food safety. Dr Nankabirwa and there regulations based partly on with enthusiasm. “Quality are more than 10 million Codex standards are now The United Nations standards of the fish should people who eat fish in place to monitor and Industrial Development be promoted,” she agrees. regularly or benefit from control water pollution and Organization (UNIDO) “We all know that it must the fishing industry. residues.

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“Now, we are also applying impacted poverty rates Codex standards with by restoring international respect to labelling trade and securing requirements,” continues livelihoods. However, the Paul Omanyi. “And we’re result of all this work was Codex Trust Fund supports using Codex standards not only a lifting of the for products which require ban and resumption of national structures to additives.” Greenfields exports to Europe. Local prevent food export crises Uganda, Ltd, is an businesswoman, Peruse Entebbe-based fish Lagoose, is very clear Many countries turn to Codex standards, guidelines and exporting company, which that raised awareness codes of practice when faced with export bans that result now regularly sends has allowed her to better from poor food safety standards. However, a country that samples of their products understand the rationale is aware of the importance of Codex standards and uses to local laboratories for behind Codex standards these as a basis for developing their national standards analysis. “The Codex and their practical benefits. in a comprehensive and science-based food control Alimentarius is the This has inspired her system is better able to prevent such crises. internationally-recognized new business. She now system,” comments sells mukene - small fish The development and reinforcement of national Philippe Borel, CEO of which she processes and Codex structures that underpins much of the CTF’s Greenfields. “And when the packages for domestic work aims precisely at assisting countries to develop European Union sets up consumption. This has awareness of the importance of Codex standards regulations, they don’t do been so successful among decision-makers and actors in key value it without taking that into that she has become a chains (Guinea below is an example of this). This account, because we know significant local employer. awareness leads to more uptake of Codex standards, they are one of the main “People are no longer which protects consumer health throughout the food participants in Codex.” poor,” she says, underlining the important role that chain from farm to fork and can be a powerful weapon The Ugandan experience adoption of Codex texts in protecting the income of those who depend on the shows how the adoption has played in the fight export or local trade of food for their livelihoods. of Codex measures against poverty.

SDG1 NO POVERTY 7 ©FAO/Bernal Vilela

Codex Trust Fund in Guinea

Guinea In 2019, the Government of and internationally, so that Guinea made a successful any preventable issues launches application to the CTF and within agri-food value their work over the 3-year chains can and will be Codex Trust project period is aimed identified. at developing knowledge This will bolster Guinea’s and understanding of food-trading capacity, Fund project Codex standards and paving the way for a guidelines within Guinea. greater number of secure It is expected that this will jobs and a reduction improve the conformity in poverty. It is an and competitiveness of important step for a the nation’s food trade country that is grappling domestically, regionally

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with a rate of extreme At the project launch, and financial partners poverty that currently the Secretary General of and all the stakeholders stands at 31 percent of the Ministry of Industry for consideration in our the population. With an and Small and Medium programming, the activities estimated two-thirds of the Enterprises reminded the of the Codex Alimentarius, population living in rural Codex team that their its working bodies and the areas and the majority of work would have a wide functioning of the National the poor working in the impact: “The tools that will Codex Committee (NCC).” agricultural sector, support come out of your work, to the agri-food value chain will serve as references will make a significant for strong messages contribution to Guinea’s bid to the members of the to achieve SDG1. government, the technical

SDG1 NO POVERTY 9 SDG2 aims to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.” According to FAO, despite the availability of sufficient food for all, there are now 820 million hungry people in the world. The majority of the food insecure live in low-income or least-developed nations, and the majority of them live in rural areas. At the same time, one third of the global population now suffers from some form of malnutrition, with obesity often coexisting with undernutrition in the same household.

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“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their Codex was established by two of the world’s leading organizations in health and food. One of those, the Food dietary needs and food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is spearheading a worldwide drive towards zero hunger preferences for an and sustainable agriculture and is custodian of 10 of the 14 SDG2 indicators, and of an additional 11 indicators across all SDGs. These indicators are related to the active and healthy life” sustainable management and use of natural resources and ecosystem services, including water, soils, and biodiversity. as agreed at the 1996 World Food Codex and the CTF help countries pursue their drive to Summit, FAO, and adopted as the reduce hunger by making available standard-setting tools internationally agreed definition that are vital in achieving two key elements of SDG2: food for food security. security and improved nutrition.

SDG2 ZERO HUNGER 11 ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Michael Tewelde ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Michael

SOFI

Described by the United Nations as ‘an important The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) yardstick to measure the world’s progress towards report is published annually by FAO and the other UN agencies with direct responsibility for monitoring global achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero food security and nutrition, notably IFAD, WFP, WHO, Hunger, by 2030’, the annual SOFI report was UNICEF and the World Bank (FAO et al., 2019). For the ‘re‑geared’ in 2017 to reflect the aims of the SDG first time in 2019, that report measured the state of food agenda. This was the first year the three food-based insecurity using both indicators referenced in SDG2 targets: UN agencies and authors of the SOFI report, FAO, IFAD the prevalence of undernourishment; and the prevalence and WFP, joined with WHO and UNICEF to reflect a of moderate and severe food insecurity. The 2019 report broader view on all forms of hunger and nutrition. The shows that 26.4 percent of the world’s population, or report not only focuses on the two globally agreed SDG approximately 2 billion people, went hungry or, at some indicators for hunger, but also capitalizes on the six point in the previous year, had to compromise on what and indicators agreed by the World Health Assembly for how much they ate, in order to survive a ‘lean’ period. measuring nutrition-related targets.

12 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs In 2018, Africa and Asia bore the greatest share of all forms of malnutrition by accounting for more than nine out of ten of all stunted children, over nine out of ten of all wasted children, and nearly three-quarters of all overweight children worldwide.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, FAO, 2019 ©FAO/Karina Levina FIES measuring food insecurity

The prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity is measured according to FIES: the Food Insecurity Experience Scale. ‘Severe’ food insecurity exists when people do not have enough to eat. ‘Moderate’ food insecurity exists among those who probably experience periods when they have to eat less food and less nutritious food in order to make their available stocks last the year.

SDG2 ZERO HUNGER 13 SDG2’s focus is an end to hunger and malnutrition through the production of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods for sustainable agriculture and food systems. In order for that severely malnourished children aged from 6 to 59 months. to be achieved, as stated in target 2.1, there is a need to In addition, Codex develops standards for diet-related “ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and issues aimed at the improved health of a general people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, population and particularly, in line with target 2.2, for nutritious and sufficient food all year round.” Fundamental foodstuffs designed for babies, infants, young children and to the ‘safe’ and ‘nutritious’ components of food security lactating and pregnant women. is the set of standards laid down by Codex. CTF support Target 2.2 also aims at ending all forms of malnutrition to lower-income nations benefits the poor, who are a by 2030. This includes diet-related noncommunicable particular focus of this target. diseases (NCDs). NCDs are on the rise and every region Countries are able to work towards safe food for all of the world is now affected by diet-related NCDs. More consumers by accessing the science-based Codex people in the world are now overweight and obese than standards that address issues of contaminants in food, underweight and undernourished. Codex works on food hygiene, food labelling, residues of veterinary drugs in guidelines aimed at addressing all forms of malnutrition food and pesticide residues. and work on nutrient reference values and guidelines on nutrition labelling are also important weapons in the fight A common vision for global action to end against NCDs. all forms of malnutrition Target 2.4 addresses the need for sustainable food We reaffirm that… improvements in diet and nutrition production systems that, amongst other environmental require relevant legislative frameworks for food aims, looks towards improved land and soil quality. safety and quality, including for the proper use of Codex Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) ensure that agrochemicals, by promoting participation in the agricultural products are safe to eat because they activities of the Codex Alimentarius Commission for are free from harmful levels of pesticides and other the development of international standards for food agrochemicals. In many areas, ensuring responsible use safety and quality, as well as for improving information of these chemicals leads to a reduction in the number for consumers, while avoiding inappropriate marketing of applications or the concentration of product applied, and publicity of foods and non-alcoholic beverages meaning agricultural labourers are less exposed to harmful to children, as recommended by resolution WHA63.14 chemicals and soils and the environment are better – Clause 13f of the Rome Declaration on Nutrition, protected. Indeed, reducing chemical use on soils that November 2014 have been repeatedly exposed to artificial toxins is a move towards recovery and sustainability of those soils. The consequences of undernutrition are severe and particularly so in the young. According to the SOFI The Codex mandate to protect consumer health and report, “[m]aternal and child undernutrition contributes ensure fair practices in the food trade is also a factor in to 45 percent of deaths in children under five.” Chronic progress towards target 2.3, which calls for improved undernourishment and food contamination can also incomes for small-scale and family farmers. lead to stunting (inadequate height for age) and wasting Codex standards and guidelines help countries to ensure (weight for age). A key aim of target 2.2 is to achieve the acceptability of their produce, thereby improving access to internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in more lucrative markets and export opportunities through children by 2025. fair trade practices. The Codex mandate is also relevant to the aim of target 2b to “correct and prevent trade Codex is working to produce guidelines on the quality, restrictions and distortions in world agricultural markets.” safety and labelling of foods for children suffering Codex standards are the reference standards used by from Severe and Acute Malnutrition, which will make a WTO to ensure fair practices in the food trade and facilitate contribution to this target. This work follows a request international trade in food and, as such, contribute to from the Codex observer organization, UNICEF, to help countries’ capacity to achieve this target. provide guidance on technical and nutritional aspects of

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SDG2 ZERO HUNGER 15 Codex in the Cook Islands

Implementing standards. However, much In a bid to restore the a food security of this is low nutritional nation’s health, the fast food aimed at tourists, Government of the Cook system from which has led to changes Islands has determined in diet and a consequent to establish a national increase in NCDs among food safety system that farm to fork the local population. In involves all key government the early 2010s, the health ministries and embraces service surveyed the health Codex standards, of all the men across the guidelines and codes of Cook Islands. “It was not practice addressing the a nice picture,” says Dr whole gamut of issues To the 130 000 tourists that and vulnerable to climate Rangi Fariu, Director of targeted by SDG2. Public Health. “Between visit each year, the Cook change. Low local Imports make up about 80 percent or 90 percent of Islands are a little piece of agricultural production 82 percent of the Cook the men were obese. High paradise. But this nation of is both cause and Islands’ food supply and cholesterol levels, diabetes, 15 Pacific Islands is one of consequence of an upturn this includes fresh fruit high blood pressure, heart the Small Island Developing in the nation’s heavy and vegetables, many problems – there were a States (SIDS) recognized reliance on food imports. of which are also grown in the declaration of whole lot of other issues All imports are subjected locally. The problem is, as the 2030 Agenda for that we found amongst the to rigorous biosecurity Mat Purea, the Secretary to Sustainable Development men. And of course, men and SPS checks to ensure the Ministry of Agriculture as being particularly in were dying before their they meet minimum safety points out, that Cooks need of development time, were dying young.”

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farmers cannot compete ones, but are a third of the improved health and that the last foodborne on quality and cannot price. “This is an example nutrition for islanders by disease outbreak was guarantee the required of import substitution,” launching a ‘Get Physical’ 2012.” It’s a sign that the quantities to counteract the says Mat Purea, “where campaign to increase status of food safety on need for imports. we can reduce the money their weekly exercise the Cook Islands has that is going out to buy and encouraging the improved for islanders and However, now that the this imported produce. consumption of five fruits visitors alike, thanks in part government has started So, we can compete with and vegetables a day. to Codex standards and implementing a programme the New Zealand produce Meanwhile, they have also guidelines. It also points to aimed at strict adherence by applying Codex safety had to ensure that the the importance of SDG8 to Good Agricultural standards, GAP and MRLs.” 130 000 tourists also stay for the Cook Islands and Practice (GAP) and relevant In another example of healthy while on holiday. other SIDS: target 8.9 MRLs, things are beginning sustainability, as a SIDS To this end, the authorities aims for nations to “devise to change. Farmers have nation, the Cook Islands are have been rigorous in their and implement policies improved product quality also encouraging farmers monitoring of strict food to promote sustainable and newly established to adopt varieties of taro safety regulations, which tourism that creates jobs associations are helping and other vegetables that have been based on the and promotes local culture to ensure bulk supplies of can better survive the Codex General Principles and products.” Thanks to fresh produce. A visit to a changes in climate that of Food Hygiene. “I think their food safety policies, supermarket in the capital, put food security at greater it has helped to curb the Cook Islands would Rarotonga, reveals, for risk here. the foodborne disease seem to be on the right example, that locally grown outbreaks,” says Liz Iro, track for achieving this capsicums on sale are of as The Ministry of Health Secretary to the Ministry of target. high quality as the imported is also working towards Health. “Our records show

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Codex in Chile

Labelling for Ministry of Health, labelling laws yet seen in improved diets in the last two years any country. It requires that there has been a all foodstuffs on sale bear 13 percent reduction a large black octagonal in the consumption of ‘stop’ sign if they contain sugary drinks and the more than agreed limits of reformulation of highly sugar, sodium, saturated processed foods has led fats or calories and it is no to a reduction of between longer legal to sell these Chile has one of the puts down to a sedentary 5 percent and 8 percent products in or near schools highest rates of childhood lifestyle. He also blames of sugar levels in some or to target children obesity in the world poor diet. And poor diet and foods. This is a direct through advertising. and 67 percent of adult obesity are key contributors consequence of Law No. Although contentious in Chileans are overweight to the top three diseases 20.606, passed in 2016 its graphic execution and (Corvalán et al., 2013). This, in Chile: heart disease, and in which Professor because it concentrates Professor Ricardo Uauy of diabetes and stroke. Uauy played a central role. on certain nutrients rather the Institute of Nutrition However, this may be Law No. 20.606 is one of than on diets, the law is and Food Technology at changing because, the most hard-hitting and, based on sound science the University of Chile, according to Chile’s arguably, effective food provided by FAO, WHO and

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Providing support to African countries to help them address African issues

“One of the challenges with setting standards within Codex, particularly for issues that are important to developing countries, is the lack of data from these countries. One really critical issue is mycotoxins in food.” ©FAO/Declan McCormack Dr Sarah Cahill, Senior Food Safety Officer, FAO

Mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, are naturally occurring fungal toxins that can contaminate staple crops at any point along the food chain from the field to the storeroom and are one of the five major food safety concerns in Africa, where they are prevalent in maize and other staple cereal crops. Mycotoxins are a recognized carcinogen to which both acute and long-term dietary exposure can be lethal. In children under five, there is increasing evidence on the link between exposure to aflatoxins and stunting, an indicator of chronic malnutrition in early childhood and in some countries, nearly 95 percent of children under five have aflatoxin in their body. Data is a vital component in the bid to understand the mycotoxins that are present in staple foods and the Codex. “This is an initiative policies come together, and health consequences of exposure to these. However, a that we are really taking Codex expressly fulfils this lack of financial and technical resources to obtain data from the recommendations role.” It is the science-based, from low-income countries has often been a barrier to that were given at the global and consensual level of FAO and WHO,” nature of Codex decision- relevant research. In 2013, the CTF, with funding from explains Professor Uauy. making that makes it the the European Union, initiated a project in four countries “Specifically, in Chile, most impartial and reliable in Africa to collect data on mycotoxins in sorghum. The when the time comes to resource available for results of this data collection are a valuable input to discuss how much salt, developing national-level Codex work on mycotoxins. Some countries involved in how many calories, nutrient legislation on food. the project are now using GAP to lessen the mycotoxin reference values had to be contamination of staple foods. CTF continues to defined according to Codex support countries to build their capacity to understand Alimentarius principles. We and use data that is available, and to collect data on don’t just make it up. The issues that are of high priority to the health of Africans science practiced is the which can be addressed in Codex standards, guidelines global science of the whole and codes of practice. world in which not only the scientists but also the people in charge of public

SDG2 ZERO HUNGER 19 ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Petterik Wiggers

Maternal and child undernutrition Key contributes to facts* 45% of deaths in children under five

* www.fao.org/land-water/water/ 49.5 million waterscarcity children aged under 5 are wasted

207 million adolescents ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Petterik Wiggers (10-19 years) 20.5 million

©unsplash/Fikran Jabbart ©unsplash/Fikran are overweight babies suffer from low ©FAO/Christena Dowsett birthweight 822 million people are undernourished 2 billion people experience some level of food insecurity

2 billion adults ©FAO/Sue Price ©FAO/Sue (18+ years) are overweight ©FAO/Declan McCormack 40 million children under 5 are overweight

20 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs ©FAO/Karina Levina

Anaemia affects 33% of women of reproductive age

Obesity is projected to cost

©FAO/Sue Price ©FAO/Sue USD 2 trillion annually ©FAO/AU/Yohannes Zirotti Healthy soil produces healthy food and

©FAO/Ariane Genthon better Stunting costs on nutrition** average about 13.5% of GDP

per capita in ** Transforming Food and Agriculture to achieve the SDGs, developing FAO www.fao.org/land-water/water/ countries 149 million water-scarcity children aged under 5 are stunted

By 2025, 1 800 million ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Michael Tewelde ©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Michael people are expected to be living in countries or regions with “absolute” water scarcity (<500 m3 per year per capita)**

Africa remains the continent with the highest prevalence of undernourishment, affecting one fifth of its population (more than 256 million people)

SDG2 ZERO HUNGER 21 SDG3 aims to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.” It is estimated that around 600 million people fall ill and approximately 420 000 die from foodborne disease every year. A whole range of causative agents of a bacterial, viral, prionic, parasitic or chemical nature give rise to at least 200 different communicable or noncommunicable foodborne diseases. Of those 600 million foodborne illnesses, 550 million are estimated to be related to diarrheal disease but foodborne disease (FBD) can result in a range of consequences including kidney and liver failure, brain and neural disorders and arthritis.

22 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs ©FAO/Luis Gustavo Sánchez Días

Children under five years bear a disproportionate share of the burden of FBD, accounting for 9 percent of the global population, but 38 percent of all cases of illness… An estimated 30 percent of premature deaths due to FBD are of children under age five.

The Food Safety Imperative, World Bank, 2019

WHO, as the leading authority mandated to protect global Codex provides the science-based standards, that can public health, has the major responsibility in supporting form the basis of legislation and food safety and quality SDG3 targets. WHO is custodian of 19 of the 26 SDG3 management for all countries. These texts are based indicators. In the area of food safety, WHO aims to achieve on transparent, objective and ‘state-of-the-science’ risk a world capable of preventing, detecting and responding assessments provided by independent international expert to public health threats associated with unsafe food. The groups: the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food international food safety standards developed in the Codex Additives (JECFA); the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Alimentarius Commission are key to this work which WHO Residues (JMPR); and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings carries out in close collaboration with FAO. on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA). The increasingly globalized nature of the food trade has led Food safety has a key role to play in achieving target to the growing potential for developing countries’ inclusion 3.3, which calls for the end of epidemics such as AIDS, in international agri-food chains, but with this opportunity tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases, comes an increased expectation that these new, traditionally as well as combatting hepatitis, water-borne diseases less regulated markets, should be made safer. Developing and other communicable diseases. A number of economy countries need to adopt suitable measures and communicable diseases, including hepatitis A and many build capacity to both open up this access and ensure that water-borne diseases are known to be related to food. consumer health is protected domestically and throughout FBD is a major problem, as shown by the burden of FBD the global food trade. which was conservatively estimated at 33 million

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 23 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 2015. for establishing MRLs to protect health and help prevent A DALY equates to one lost year of “healthy” life and the NCDs. A notable example of this is the Codex work on term is used to help quantify losses caused by illness. methylmercury in fish. WHO considers mercury among Losses caused by FBD can be compared with 2015 the top 10 chemicals of major public health concern as estimates of 40 million DALYs for tuberculosis and it can have toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and 66 million for malaria. immune systems of humans, and on lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes. To protect human health against high exposures Codex texts offer a comprehensive farm-to-fork approach of mercury in food, in 2018 the Codex Alimentarius to addressing the burden of disease from foodborne Commission established new limits for methylmercury causes. Codex texts help equip all countries with proper found in fish. Codex also sets MRLs on pesticide residues, information and tools to promote better handling of food food additives, and residues of veterinary drugs. In and can be used as the basis of government legislation conjunction with Codex guidelines for Good Husbandry and in low-resource settings. Key core Codex texts such as Good Agricultural Practices, these are important tools to the internationally recognized General Principles of Food limit exposure to substances harmful to health in food and Hygiene, with its associated HACCP system approach, feed and thus contribute to achieving SDG3. offer governments and the food industry the information they need in the broader fight against FBD and, in All of this work is science- and evidence-based and particular, microbial pathogens which are associated with represents a vital resource for all countries and particularly about 80 percent of FBDs. Codex also produces Codes those that do not yet have the finances or capacity of Hygienic Practice for a range of different foodstuffs to to gather scientific data and undertake costly risk amplify the hygiene requirements specific to those areas. assessments. This is particularly important since many of It additionally issues guidelines on microbial and viral those under-resourced countries are the same developing hazards as well as food safety control measures. or transition economy countries that suffer the greatest FBD burden. SDG3’s target 3.2 focuses on reducing preventable deaths of children aged under five. Codex has elaborated The world is now facing new and emerging risks that need texts on infant formula and other foods aimed at the to be identified and addressed quickly and effectively and very young, including the Code of Hygienic Practice for managed globally. One such risk is from antimicrobial Powdered Formulae for Infants and Young Children, resistance (AMR), which has become a potential threat which offers guidance on addressing foodborne risks to to humanity on a similar scale to that of climate change. infants and children, and helping reduce the number of Target 3d aims to “[s]trengthen the capacity of all preventable deaths. countries, in particular developing countries, for early warning, risk reduction and management of national Codex also plays a role in helping countries to address and global health risks.” The work undertaken in Codex food related NCDs as part of target 3.4. When countries Task Forces such as the Task Force on Antimicrobial base national standards on Codex standards that Resistance (TFAMR) and the capacity-building supported address risk factors for NCDs, this can be an important by the Codex Trust Fund contribute to international efforts factor in reducing morbidity and mortality in their to address these global threats. populations. Similarly, target 3.9 calls for the substantive reduction in the number of deaths and illnesses from Antimicrobial resistance poses such a significant global hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and risk that at its 51st session, held in New York in March contamination. Food contaminated with heavy metals or 2020, the United Nations Statistical Commission agreed with naturally occurring toxins can cause long-term health a new SDG indicator for AMR. Under target 3d the text for problems including cancer and neurological disorders. the additional indicator reads: “Reduce the percentage of bloodstream infections due to selected antimicrobial Risk assessments carried out by the expert committees resistant organisms”. establish the levels at which chemical contaminants are harmful to human health and these are used as the basis

24 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs ©FAO/Ayebazibwe Agatha

All nations need to be able to contribute to the fight against antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents one of the guidelines on integrated monitoring and surveillance of most significant global health risks of thest 21 century foodborne antimicrobial resistance. and is “estimated to cause at least 700 000 deaths around Developing countries lack the capacity and resources required the world each year. That figure is predicted to rise to 10 to establish the necessary surveillance infrastructures for million, alongside a cumulative cost of USD 100 trillion, monitoring antimicrobial use and its impacts. However, by 2050 if no action is taken.” (UK Government, 2019). strenuous efforts are being made. In Kenya, for example, an According to Tom Heilandt, Secretary of Codex, “Resistant awareness campaign run by the Kenya Medical Research bacteria can send us back to the 19th century and before, Institute (KEMRI) is encouraging farmers in Good Husbandry where many infectious diseases were untreatable.” Practices to reduce infection and the need for antibiotics. Codex is playing a key role in the global fight against Kenya is also co-chair of one of the TFAMR working groups. AMR by developing science-based guidance on the Through CTF support, the National Codex Committee in management of foodborne AMR, which can occur Ghana is building capacity to contribute to the TFAMR through the dissemination of AMR microorganisms and review and participate in electronic and physical determinants from animals and food crops to humans, meetings of the TFAMR. The team is learning how via the consumption of food. Its 2011 Guidelines for Risk to engage in a national-level TFAMR and is collating Analysis of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance, drawn views on national AMR-related needs from a range of up by the TFAMR, follows the 2005 Code of Practice to stakeholders for effective participation in the revision of Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance, which the updated code of practice. focuses on veterinary drugs. Work in the Codex task force is taking into account the WHO Global Action Plan on Support for poorer nations is of direct benefit to those that are Antimicrobial Resistance and other relevant international more privileged, as AMR does not recognize borders and a standards to update the 2005 Code and produce global effort is therefore needed to minimize its impact.

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 25 ©Shutterstock/chinahbzyg

Codex and China

The fastest In 2008, 290 000 babies The source of the problem international in China suddenly fell ill, was soon identified 50 000 were hospitalized as powdered infant and 6 died. The outbreak of formula, putting pressure food standard illness spread panic across on international food China, putting excessive suppliers, who sourced ever developed pressure on the public constituents of powdered health system, terrifying milk and milk-based parents who understood products from the same only that infants were places as the producers falling ill on a drastic scale of the contaminated and causing suffering Chinese infant formula. among the population’s An international alert was most vulnerable citizens.

26 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs issued through INFOSAN1, only if we have an existing clear that the global “These were technical the FAO/WHO International network like this, where community needed people. They knew about Food Safety Authorities people can very rapidly science-based information chemistry,” says Dr Chen Network. “This was the tool exchange information on what levels of this Junshi, Senior Research that we used to find out and communicate with contaminant are safe in Professor, National all the products that were each other, that you can infant formula. Responding Institute for Food Safety affected and to inform try to contain and limit the to the emergency situation, Risk Assessment in China. countries. Countries then impact of such an event.” Codex was able to adopt “This kind of adulteration is informed each other how the Maximum Level for high tech. Very high tech.” As the panic spread, the distribution chains Melamine in Liquid Infant WHO was being asked by This was a robust risk were working,” explained Formula in record time. governments, industry, management operation. Angelika Tritscher, the public how they could The adulteration was The collaboration of the former Coordinator, manage the situation. criminally motivated and Chinese authorities, the Risk Assessment and What was safe? What was allowed fraudsters to dilute contribution from Canada, Management, Department the problem? A scientific dairy milk with water. It the joint expertise of of Food Safety and expert consultation was worked because melamine international scientists Zoonoses at WHO. “It’s rapidly convened, with in diluted milk produces and the urgency with generous funding from nitrogen, which is what which Codex processed

1 See also Codex’s Principles and the Canadian government. inspectors test for when a standard to safeguard Guidelines for the Exchange of The problem was identified they analyse milk for its global health also provide Information in Food Safety Emergency Situations. [online] www.fao.org/ as melamine adulteration protein content. an example of partnership input/download/standards/36/ CXG_019e.pdf and it quickly became as promoted by SDG17. ©Flooded Cellar Productions

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 27 ©FAO/Sue Price

Codex and street food

Codex helps a vital source of income agricultural produce keep cities free for vendors and those easily finds its way into actors in the supply this sector. Many street chains upon whom they vendors have been found from foodborne depend. In Malaysia, for to use inadequate, if example, street food is any, storage facilities a multi‑million US dollar for food and unhygienic disease business, which provides handling together with over 100 000 vendors with contaminated points of employment and results in sale also contribute to an estimated gross annual a perfect storm of food Codex’s Asia region is urban populations, which sales volume of 2 billion safety risks. Ineffective home to over half the helps to explain the need US dollars (Dawson and regulatory regimes and world’s population. In for SDG11, that aims to Canet, 1991). poor oversight only response to growing rural “make cities and human contribute further to these However, environmental, poverty and livelihoods settlements inclusive, safe, hazards. threatened by climate resilient and sustainable.” chemical and microbial change, people are shifting From a Codex perspective, food safety risks are to The regulation of street on a large scale from rural one way in which SDG11 be found throughout the food has had a chequered to urban areas. However, intersects with both SDG3 sourcing, preparation history. In 1993, Codex many cities are poorly and SDG2, is in the growing and sale of street food. was compelled to abandon equipped to cope with demand for street food. Vendors tend to be efforts to produce an such growing populations. poorer and more likely to, international code of Street food is increasingly This puts pressure on knowingly or otherwise, hygienic practice for recognized as a source infrastructure and the compromise on the safety street foods because of food security for sanitation and health of of the ingredients they of the complexity of the urban populations and use, so that sub‑standard issues involved. However,

28 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs ©FAO

“74% of countries reported street‑vended foods to be a significant part of the urban food supply.”

Survey of street-vended foods, WHO, 1996

Codex Members were are other countries that legislation. One indication The survey measured subsequently able to regulate to protect street that regulatory efforts are hygiene practices against adopt regional guidance vendors. bearing fruit in the street the Codex Code and for Africa, Latin America food sector, can be seen in concluded: “the most The adoption in 2017 and the Caribbean and the a 2018 survey conducted complete implementation of of the Regional Code of Near East in 1991, 2001 across over 400 vendors in personal hygiene principles Hygienic Practice for Street- and 2013 respectively. China, Greece, Poland and was found in Thailand” Vended Foods in Asia was Meanwhile, FAO reported Thailand. (Trafialek et al., 2018). a welcome move. The in 1994 that Thailand had code of practice outlines introduced a ten-point code the responsibilities not ©FAO/Philippe Ankers of practice for vendors that only of vendors, but also of has been widely used. Also, consumers and competent WHO’s Five Keys to Safer authorities, calling for Food have been taken up by licencing, training and countries, often with WHO monitoring, as well as support. Vietnam was one the provision of adequate country that worked with facilities. WHO using the Five Keys as part of what became its Thailand is one country revised 2011 food safety that has been rigorous law, which involves a in its efforts to apply the robust approach to training, practices outlined in this compliance monitoring code of practice as well and sanctions for any as to incorporate Codex’s contraventions. Malaysia, General Principles of Food the Philippines and India Hygiene into national

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 29 © FAO/BernalVilela

Key facts

Children under 5 years of age carry 40% of the FBD burden, with 125 000 deaths every year. ©FAO/Declan McCormack Almost 80% of the burden of FBD is associated with microbial pathogens

Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or

©FAO/Nozim Kalandarov ©FAO/Nozim chemical substances, causes more than 200 diseases – ranging from diarrhoea to cancers.

An estimated 600 million – almost 1 in 10 people in the world – fall ill after eating contaminated food and 420 000 ©FAO/Declan McCormack ©FAO/Declan die every year, resulting in the loss of 33 million healthy life years (DALYs*).

* DALYs: “One DALY can be thought of as one lost year of “healthy” life. The sum of DALYs across a population is a measure of the burden of disease and can be thought of as a measurement of the gap between current health status and an ideal health situation where the entire population lives to an advanced age, free of disease and disability.” – World Bank, The Food Safety Imperative

30 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs Food supply chains now cross multiple national borders. Good collaboration ©FAO/Declan McCormack ©FAO/Declan between governments, producers and consumers helps ensure food safety.

Food safety, nutrition and food security are inextricably linked. Unsafe food creates a vicious

©FAO/Mohammad Rakibul Hasan ©FAO/Mohammad cycle of disease and malnutrition, particularly affecting infants, young children, elderly and the sick. ©FAO/Manan Vatsyayana ©FAO/Manan Diarrhoeal diseases are the most common illnesses resulting from the consumption of contaminated food, causing 550 million people to fall ill and 230 000 deaths every year.

Access to sufficient

©FAO/Riccardo Gangale ©FAO/Riccardo amounts of safe and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and

FBD impede socioeconomic development by straining health care systems, and harming national economies, tourism and trade.

98% of the FBD burden falls on developing countries

SDG3 GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING 31 SDG8 aspires to “promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.” In 2016, international trade in food was worth USD 1.6 trillion. Globally, there are 1.1 billion people working in agriculture alone, with many millions more relying for their livelihoods on work further along the agri-food chain, in processing, packing and retail as well as many other associated industries.

Global food production is a significant and growing allowing participation in international standard setting economic sector and occupies many of the world’s poor. relevant to a country’s food trade interests and can help to Of those living in extreme poverty, 75 percent are in rural ensure regulation of national-level food safety measures. areas and depend on agriculture for their living. For many This helps to sustain good oversight of food exports and developing countries, a lucrative export market is available the safety of the food-based economy at home, which also if they can comply with the exacting regulatory environment supports SDG3. All these factors strengthen prospects for that governs trade in food. When a country adopts the sustained economic growth. science-based standards that are made available by Codex, In many developing countries, the majority of the population it can gain access to that market and contribute to target works in primary food production, often in precarious, 8.1, to “[s]ustain per capita economic growth in accordance underpaid and seasonal jobs and with few rights. In South with national circumstances,” and thereby also promote the Asia, 62 percent of the population is engaged in agriculture livelihoods and incomes of small scale producers and family and in sub-Saharan Africa, the figure is almost 66 percent. farmers, which contributes to both SDG1 and SDG2.3. In many countries, the majority of agricultural workers are FAO, WHO and CTF offer support to developing and women. Growing the food-based economy in a sustainable transition economy countries to build capacity and way in these countries holds out the prospect of achieving establish and maintain national Codex structures. Such “full and productive employment and decent work for all structures can contribute to a robust national framework women and men” in accordance with target 8.5.

SDG8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 33 Codex in Honduras

Social In Honduras, 63 percent Many agricultural workers well-being is of the population lives are employed by the in poverty and around 6 large, often foreign- in 10 rural households owned companies that everybody’s subsist in extreme poverty. dominate the sector. About 39 percent of the This labour can involve business population is engaged in workers in excessive use agricultural work, which of agrochemicals, causing includes coffee and health problems and banana production as importantly from a Codex top export earners. And it perspective, resulting in includes melon farming, chemical residue levels that which had an export value may exceed established of USD 72 million in the MRLs. Furthermore, some first quarter of 2019. of these workers are paid

new possibilities, according the Honduran government hygiene facilities at to Yolandina Lambur Valle set about establishing its work and provision of from SENASA, the national own standard for melon appropriate workwear. plant and animal health production, based on the For its part, the government service and also the Codex Codex Code of Hygienic ensures regular monitoring focal point: “It affected us Practice for Fresh Fruits and and field visits, which economically and socially,” Vegetables (CXC 53-2003)1. gather samples for analysis she says, “but it was also In this partnership, both of residues in the an opportunity to improve the private companies melons themselves and of our production process and ensure strict adherence the cleanliness of factory now we’ve regained the to MRLs, hygiene training surfaces, to protect against confidence we had lost.” and cleanliness among foodborne diseases such employees, which requires as salmonellosis, E. coli In partnership with local infections and listeriosis. private-sector companies, 1 Annex IV for Melons (2017 revision) ©FAO/Ubirajara Machado

less than the minimum wage, forcing them to live below the poverty line. This level of hardship among poor melon workers was further exacerbated in 2008, when the US put an export ban on the Honduran melon sector following a number of cases of salmonellosis. Although challenging for the Honduran government, this crisis has opened up

SDG8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 35 ©FAO/Declan McCormack ©FAO/Declan ©FAO/Declan McCormack ©FAO/Declan ©FAO/Declan McCormack ©FAO/Declan

Now some private Agrolíbano has provided houses. “We were living in a “because by applying Codex companies have taken the poorer families with house made of cardboard standards we not only things even further. “In materials and labour when they came here to improve the production the fields we have a large to build chicken coops, see us,” says company plants but also people’s workforce,” says José which keep chickens from employee, Juan Espinal, homes. And we need to Annibal Motz of melon contaminating melon “and now my family will continue teaching our production company, fields and dwellings. They have a proper home”. The children and all the family, Agrolíbano, “many of provide nutritious meals at company has also invested so they can improve their our workers are youths a subsidized works canteen into local education. quality of life.” And it is and women. This has a and price reductions at public-private partnership “Food safety promotes direct impact on the local the company store - which that made these successes the development of economy and really helps supports the aims not only possible, which serves to communities and the to support families in this of SDG8 but also SDGs 2 underline the importance of development of a person’s rural area.” In recognition of and 3. For the very poorest SDG17. understanding,” explains their social responsibilities, of workers, they have built Yolandina Lambur,

Growing developing economies through Codex Trust Fund

In 2018, Honduras was granted funding for their CTF in Honduras. In relation to SDG8, the nation generates project. This will strengthen their capacity to establish more than 14 percent of its GDP through agricultural a comprehensive and sustainable National Codex production, with the sector making up 72 percent of Program, helping to link Codex standards and structures exports in 2019. With more robust national Codex with food safety policy in Honduras. Through improved structures and alignment with international standards, food safety and compliance with globally accepted food that figure is expected to grow to 75 percent by 2022. The standards, the Honduran government aims explicitly growth in the agricultural economy will also help reduce at increasing food exports, which will contribute to unemployment. According to Ms Bueno, unemployment economic growth. According to Mirian Bueno, Assistant reduced from 5.7 percent to 5 percent in 2019. Director General, Sub-Directorate General for Food Safety In a clear example of the mutuality of the SDGs, the in Honduras, it is hoped this will also help improve social government’s aims to grow the economy and achieve and economic conditions in a sustainable way, especially SDG8 through improvements in the food sector will, at for small businesses. the same time, impact on poverty levels, food safety and These policy aims are directly linked to the ambitions of security, health and food waste. the CTF project to help achieve SDGs 1, 2, 3, 8, 12 and 17

SDG8 DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 37 Sustainable Development Goal 12 intends to “[e]nsure sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns.” Food is a critical focus of this goal: despite producing more than enough to go around, we live in a world where over a quarter of the population is or could be hungry. Given that a third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted, responsible consumption and production could go a long way to resolving issues of hunger. Sustainable consumption also extends to responsible use of water, for example in agriculture (SDGs2 and 6), use of energy (SDG7), responsible fisheries (SDG14) and use of land and environmental resources (SDGs2 and 15).

More than 1 billion metric tons of food per year is never consumed in a world where one in nine people are still undernourished

The future of food and agriculture, FAO, 2017

Poor food safety leads to food loss and waste. However, sustainable and efficient management of natural resources: Codex texts define conditions for ensuring food is safe and soils, for example, can suffer losses of biota as a result of of the expected quality. These include maximum limits for excessive chemical use and can store and accumulate pesticides and contaminants, guidelines on food handling, chemicals applied to them over a long period of time. storage post-harvest and correct labelling, various Codes Codex has also produced a Code of Practice promoting of Practice and Good Practices at different critical points in responsible use of antimicrobials, the application of which the food chain. Safe food not only has a positive impact on can ensure sustainability of both food and feed. health but also on sustainable consumption and hunger: Codex bodies are also responsible for recommending applying Codex measures can help ensure food is not safe maximum levels and specifications for food additives spoiled due to contamination, poor storage and unsafe and for proposing relevant standards to the CAC for levels of processing agents, among other factors. Codex adoption. While it is vital that maximum levels need to be work can therefore help countries achieve target 12.3, which established to protect consumer health, there is little doubt aims to “halve per capita global food waste at the retail and that food additives have transformed the way we can consumer levels and reduce food losses along production preserve food to ensure maximum shelf life and reduce and supply chains, including post-harvest losses,” and FAO loss and waste. In addition, Codex produces advisory is responsible for measuring the progress for this target. documents on accurate food labelling, which is another While maximum limits contribute to both SDG2 and SDG3, key factor in reducing waste: appropriate date marking and as well as contributing to the sustainable management and product information, for example, reduce the likelihood of use of natural resources (including water, energy, soils, and foodstuffs spoiling before they are consumed, or of them ecosystem services), they also play a part in achieving target being thrown away before they need to be. 12.4, to “achieve the environmentally sound management It is in the interests of the food industry to avoid food waste of chemicals and reduce their release to air, water and soil and the open-source nature of Codex work gives companies in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health access to science-based guidance. This, therefore, directly and the environment.” Pesticide MRLs curb excessive use contributes to target 12.6, which aims to: “[e]ncourage of chemicals in agriculture, thus making produce safe for companies, especially large and transnational companies, human consumption and aiding sound environmental to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability management. The reduced risk of contamination through information into their reporting cycle.” responsible application of agrochemicals also enables more

SDG12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 39 Codex in the United States of America

Providing In Hood River, Oregon, Just like all responsible data for farmers grow an awful fruit producers around the lot of pears and cherries. world, the growers and Robert Wymore, VP of packers of Hood River development of operations at the Diamond must ensure their product Fruit packing cooperative is free from pests so that Codex MRLs in Hood River, estimates quality is maintained, and that his facility packs the fruit does not spoil around USD 50 million and go to waste. Food worth of fruit a year. About standards at home and 35 percent of that produce abroad require them to is exported to dozens control pests in a way that of countries around the ensures their fruit is safe world. for human consumption, and exporters need to also

understand relevant food additionally significant nations to test and, if At a University of Oregon regulations in destination for food exports because, appropriate, licence, research station, Dr Joe countries. while countries often new pesticides, which de Francesco of Oregon develop their own national then helps Codex to University is gathering “We need to understand food laws, for food that establish internationally data on the safety of the standards that are in enters international trade, acceptable safe residue an as-yet unlicensed place in many countries Codex standards are the limits. One way in which pesticide. His work will around the world,” says reference standards. the US helps develop eventually make its way to Jason Sandahl of the US these MRLs is in data the Codex Committee for government’s Foreign Codex does not consider collection, which is an Pesticide Residues. Agricultural Service (FAS). developing an MRL unless expensive and specialized “And many of the countries the relevant product is Ensuring that fruit does process that often only we export to rely on Codex licensed in at least one not get rejected and wealthier nations have the standards to develop their country. It is therefore in go to waste due to the resources to carry out. own food law.” Codex is the interests of wealthier application of unsafe

levels of pesticides Environmental Protection low- and middle-income requires large-scale data Agency (EPA), to Codex countries. “It’s very collection and meticulous and eventually, to the food expensive to generate this documentation of people eat. We have a data on your own and it multiple variables. “These notebook that we have to takes a lot of expertise,” experiments are done fill out hundreds of pages says Jason Sandahl. “To under a lot of scrutiny with details of the weather, establish a Codex MRL, and down to the millilitre,” the soil type, the stage work needs to be very says Dr Francesco. “It’s so of the growth of the tree rigorous. You need to have important that the data is or the vegetable – all the a distribution of locations correct from the moment parameters that might and you need to conduct I step out of the truck affect the residues.” many field trials.” The FAS because that’s going to is involved in supporting Data collection can be a influence what goes on resource-challenged challenge, especially for way down the chain to the nations to build data

42 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs “Bruce is my chemical field man. And in order for us to use as few chemicals as possible and to minimize the disruption to the natural insect cycles, we do several things that he helps keep track of. He monitors the orchard and counts the number of eggs or small insects that he finds of various types of pest. And we try to time our sprays so that we use the least disruptive chemicals at the most effective time.”

Jennifer Ewer, Farmer, Hood River, Oregon

collection capacities Codex work requires And the data collection for products grown scientific rigour and work to gather the science specifically in developing when countries partner for Codex MRLs helps countries. “We have 20 up to build capacity in achieve SDG12 as well countries around the world data collection, that can as SDGs 1, 3 and 8 for where we’re conducting result in more robust all nations. capacity-building and food safety processes for we’re providing training on trade in products from how to conduct residue developing as well as trials. And following that developed nations. This we’re working with them US government work on a residue project for also shows the kind of tropical fruits including sustainable development mangoes, papayas, partnership that is lychees and other crops.” promoted by SDG17.

SDG12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 43 Codex in Iran

Embracing Iran has a long and to a lifting of the EU ban, opportunity lucrative history of it has meant that stricter pistachio production food safety controls in the and export. However, pistachio sector in Iran in Iran in the mid 1990s, high has resulted in a higher aflatoxin levels resulted in percentage of rejected an EU ban on imports of product (Iran Pistachio Iran’s prized product. The Association, 2013). country subsequently took While food that has failed an active and important safety tests often ends up role in research on safe as waste, it can also be aflatoxin levels and worked dumped by unscrupulous closely with Codex on traders in informal markets what became the Code of which are unregulated Practice for the Prevention and non-transparent. and Reduction of Aflatoxin The subsequent negative Contamination in Tree Nuts. consequences to health While this has contributed

Science and data – keys to sustainable consumption and production Target 12A: “Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production.” *

Science is the basis for testing foods to ensure they are safe to eat and for establishing or prolonging their shelf-life. Developing and transition economy countries often find they are too poorly resourced to ensure they have the human, financial, structural or infrastructural resources to take charge of the science that will ensure safe and sustainable food in their countries. Of the fourteen countries receiving support from CTF in 2019, eleven identified a lack of scientific or data‑gathering capacity as priority weaknesses. These nations are improving their sustainable consumption and production (SCP) status through: twinning trips to more experienced countries; awareness-raising among stakeholders, including scientists within their nations; pooling the resources they do have; and learning how to use them to take informed positions on Codex standards. Ghana, for example, received capacity-building support for data collection on methylmercury in tuna and contributed to the discussions on relevant new MLs in 2018. There are now clear and relevant guidelines for Ghana to know which tuna caught in their seas is not safe to eat and must be discarded and which fish is safe to eat and need not be wasted. Senegal and Mali also wanted to impacts most on the poor, This nut oil can be filtered harness the scientific capacity in their respective nations who inevitably shop where through a hydrophile in order to improve participation in Codex committees. they can buy cheaper food. medium to remove all traces of aflatoxins, which To avoid waste and Honduras and Madagascar gained support from CTF are soluble in water.” Iran the dumping of unsafe to compile databases of scientific experts to underpin worked with Codex to pistachios in informal their Codex work. revise the Codex Standard markets, Iran is now for Named Vegetable Oils, Interestingly, one of Bhutan’s key scientific weaknesses aiming to turn a negative to include pistachio oil. “In was in food import controls and SPS issues. As a into a positive. Aflatoxins the not too distant future,” consequence, according to Codex Bhutan’s Kubir Nath are not soluble in oil and, according to the IPA, “Iran Bhattari, the nation has become a ‘dumping ground’ for as the Iran Pistachio will be producing at least Association (IPA) points substandard food. For the safety of their population and 5 million litres of pistachio out, “even nuts showing to encourage more sustainable export practices, Bhutan oil annually” (Iran Pistachio higher than acceptable sought to improve its own scientific testing capacities, Association, 2013). levels of aflatoxins can be for which they are now receiving CTF support. used as the raw product * Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) to derive oil from the nut. https://indicators.report/targets/12-a

Fruits and Key vegetables, plus roots and tubers facts have the highest wastage rates of any food. ©FAO/Orane Debrune Every year, consumers in rich countries waste almost as much food (222 million tonnes) as the entire net food production of sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes).

Industrialized and developing countries dissipate roughly the same quantities of

The food that is lost and wasted each year accounts for an estimated 8% of annual GHG emissions, consumes a quarter of all water used by agriculture, and requires an agricultural area the size of China.

46 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs ©FAO Roughly one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption every year — approximately 1.3 billion tonnes — gets lost or wasted.

Global quantitative food losses and ©FAO/Soojin Kim ©FAO/Soojin waste per year are roughly 30% for cereals, 40-50% for root crops, fruits and vegetables, ©FAO/Martin Frick ©FAO/Martin 20% for oil Food losses and waste seeds, meat amounts to roughly and dairy USD 680 billion plus 35% for in industrialized fish. countries and USD 310 billion in developing countries. ©FAO/Giulio Napolitano Per capita waste by consumers is between 95-115 kg a year in Europe and North America, while consumers in sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-eastern Asia, each throw away only 6-11 kg a year.

The amount of food lost or wasted every year is equivalent to more than half of the world’s annual cereals crop (2.3 billion tonnes in 2009/2010).

SDG12 RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION 47 SDG17 aims to “[s]trengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development” and provides the backbone for the whole 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, identifying the complex set of Means of Implementation (MoI) required to enable achievement of SDGs. It calls for a coming together of stakeholders from across the world and from across sectors and services in the interests of all global citizens and the planet itself. It is the goal with the greatest number of targets, divided into sections, covering the many means needed to achieve SDGs (including trade, science and technology, IT and digitalization, etc.). It calls for everyone to contribute to a sustainably developed world. And it is the SDG with one of the simplest aims: partnership.

One set of SDG17 targets relevant to Codex is that of trade. world-leading experts and is finally approved through When target 17.10 describes a “universal, rules‑based, consensus by 188 governments and one Member open, nondiscriminatory and equitable multilateral trading Organization of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. system” it is describing the mandate, goals and daily work While responsibility on adoption of food standards of the Codex Alimentarius. This fundamental work and always lies with Members, the collaboration of industry the additional support CTF lends to countries that would associations on provision of data and input on the otherwise be left behind, helps to “[s]ignificantly increase practicality of standards is essential. The resulting the exports of developing countries, in particular with a standards, guidelines and codes of practice are then view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of freely available for all governments, to inform their global exports by 2020,” target 17.11. food laws, or for industry, to ensure compliance with international trade rules. Codex is an exemplar of what This is only possible with sound, scientific standards target 17.16 strives to attain in “[enhancing] the global that are researched, evaluated and adopted in a partnership for sustainable development, complemented consensual process. This work is done as a result of by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and globally collected data sets, thanks to committees of

SDG17 PARTNERSHIP FOR THE GOALS 49 share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial The CTF is also the product of partnership. Donor resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable countries contribute because they recognize the value development goals in all countries, in particular of ensuring that developing and transition economy developing countries.” countries can participate fully and effectively in all aspects of Codex work. As Dr Naoko Yamamoto, WHO The Codex contribution to a universal trading system Assistant Director-General, has commented: “Through also involves partnership with a whole spectrum of participation of all countries we ensure that Codex organizations. There are over 200 recognized observer standards, guidelines and codes of practice are globally organizations in the CAC, who contribute to debate relevant and meet the needs of all countries.” around food-related issues and specific standards and guidelines. Those organizations come from the public and private sector, represent industry interests as well as those of civil society and NGOs, and they can also be specialized international organizations.

Give a man a fish...

Target 17.9 is specifically aimed at capacity building. It strives around Codex activities. Achieving SDG17 on means to “[e]nhance international support for implementing effective of implementation and partnership starts at the and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to national level when key government sectors, the food support national plans to implement all the sustainable industry, consumers, academia, research institutions, development goals, including through North-South, South- international and non-governmental organizations South and triangular cooperation.” work together to further Codex work as an integral part of food safety systems in countries. All Codex Trust One of the crucially important facets of Codex work is that Fund-supported projects include activities that raise it gifts scientific research and knowledge to its members. awareness on the importance of Codex and the need to The standards, MRLs, codes of practice and guidelines have sustained political and financial support. Other that result from expensively and expertly gathered data activities bring stakeholders together, educate them are available to all nations, including those that do not yet on Codex standards, the role they can and should play in have the resources to contribute. Codex, and the importance of using Codex standards, The Codex Trust Fund offers financial support and guidelines and codes of practice. capacity-building to under-resourced countries so that For countries facing the biggest challenges described they are not just bystanders in the standards-setting by the whole range of SDGs, access to Codex work is very process but can participate fully and effectively and important. What is also significant for those countries is become “shapers” of those Codex standards. This is that CTF helps them to take part in steering Codex work only possible when countries have strong, functioning and to actively pursue their national interests on an equal and sustainable national Codex structures that involve footing with others. all relevant stakeholders at national level in a partnership

50 CODEX ALIMENTARIUS and the SDGs References

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Codex and the SDGs

In 2015, the global community agreed on the Countries that take advantage of Codex Secretariat 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Codex standards, guidelines and codes Joint “a plan of action for people, planet of practice are better positioned to Food and Agriculture and prosperity,” and established the 17 tackle many of the SDG targets. Organization of the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs. In particular, alignment of food safety United Nations systems with the Codex Alimentarius and With its twin mandate to protect can help countries work towards World Health consumer health and promote fair Organization SDGs 1, 2, 3, 8, 12 and 17. practices in the food trade, the joint Food Standards FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme This document explains how Programme adopts science-based food standards Codex work supports countries to [email protected] into its Codex Alimentarius, or achieve these particular SDGs, Food and Agriculture ‘Food Code’, to the benefit of its which are interconnected with other Organization of the 188 Member Countries and one Member SDGs and the 2030 Agenda generally. United Nations (FAO) Organization (the European Union). It also highlights how the Codex Trust Food Systems and Food Safety These food standards, which include Fund supports developing and transition Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy guidelines and codes of practice, are a economy countries to build food safety freely available resource for all countries capacity, which helps equip them to World Health to use as part of their domestic food pursue the SDGs more successfully. Organization (WHO) safety systems and to ensure their food Through stories from different countries, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety exports are internationally compliant. the value of Codex work is illustrated 20 Avenue Appia, CH-1211 Codex standards are also a World Trade and the potential for countries to achieve Geneva 27, Switzerland Organization reference for food trade specific relevant targets is detailed. [email protected] disputes and furthermore, they represent a significant tool to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

ISBN 978-92-5-133056-2

This publication was produced with the financial support of the 9 789251 330562 European Union. CB0222EN/1/07.20CB0222EN/1/12.20