Litia Cava 
[File Photo]
Fiji has launched a strong push to improve its food safety system, working with the Food and Agriculture Organisation and other agencies.
Permanent Secretary for Trade Shaheen Ali states that food safety is about trust,trust that the food is safe, that businesses follow the law, and that enforcement is clear and coordinated.
He pointed out that more than 125 million people in the Western Pacific get sick each year from unsafe food, showing the urgent need for better systems, he added.
Fiji’s National Food Safety Taskforce, led by Trade Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica, has already conducted over 130 joint inspections and shut down non-compliant businesses.
He also noted that many lab systems are old or overloaded. The FAO-supported project will boost testing and improve public awareness so people and businesses understand food safety better.
In line with Fiji’s National Digital Strategy, the government is digitising licensing and approval systems through platforms like FILPAS and the Trade Single Window.
Smarter regulation requires smarter tools, Ali said. By using digital systems, we cut red tape and improve safety.
He called on all involved to turn the workshop’s momentum into real, lasting change.
The workshop is part of a broader FAO effort to modernise food control across the Pacific, aiming for safer food, healthier people and stronger economies.
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