On World Food Safety Day 7th of June 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), join South Africa and the global community in recognising that safe food is essential for good health, good nutrition, decent livelihoods, fair trade and public trust in the food system. Every meal should nourish people, not put them at risk.
Food safety matters in every part of daily life: in homes, schools, farms, markets, factories, shops and health facilities. It also matters for South Africa’s economy, because safe food supports jobs, local businesses, tourism, exports and confidence among consumers and trading partners.
Unsafe food can affect anyone. It can cause illness that disrupts family life, school attendance, work and income.
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The Animal Health Cornerstone: Speaking from Pretoria, FAO Representative Dr. Babagana Ahmadu formally declared that “safe food starts with healthy animals and healthy plants,” positioning the prevention of livestock pests and transboundary animal diseases as the definitive baseline for sustainable global development.
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The Collaborative Mandate: The agencies called on international governments to invest heavily in veterinary laboratory capacity, coordinate data-sharing between trade and agricultural authorities, and implement risk-based inspections across the animal-to-human production grid to catch zoonotic and foodborne disease vectors early.
