Food Security vs Food Safety in Namibia

Hosea Shaanika

Abstract

The Food and Agriculture Organisation define food security as when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active healthy life. In most developing countries the focus is on food security while the concept of food safety although just as important is not given as much attention. Food safety as a concept is a reinforcement of food security explains the conditions and practises that preserve the quality and safety of food to prevent contamination and food-borne illnesses. Unsafe food makes people sick as it might contain hazardous agents or contaminants that could cause sickness immediately or leading to chronic disease and even death in a worse scenario.