Food Safety Emergency Response in Africa: Institutional and Contextual Analyses from Eight Countries

Foodborne diseases remain a public health and socioeconomic development challenge in Africa, where fragmented systems limit preparedness and response.This study examined the institutional and contextual dimensions of food safety emergency preparedness and response across eight African countries: Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Cameroon, and South Africa.A mixedmethods design was used, combining structured questionnaires and key informant interviews with stakeholders from regulatory agencies, public health institutions, academia, food businesses, development partners, and the general public.Thematic analysis, supported by a triangulation of survey findings, interviews, and a regional desk review, enabled cross country comparison of system functionality.Benchmarking was conducted against three major frameworks: FAO/WHO Food Safety Emergency Management (FSEM), the WHO Joint External Evaluation (JEE) tool, and Ghana's Food Safety Emergency Response Plan (FoSERP).Findings revealed recurring gaps across most countries including fragmented governance, poor coordination, under-resourced surveillance, uneven laboratory capacity, limited training, inadequate financing, compliance and communication, and One Health integration.Although some strengths were identified in selected countries (Ghana and Egypt), these were insufficient to offset systemic weaknesses.The benchmarking exercise highlighted significant gaps between existing global guidance and operational reality.Overall, the results underscore the need for integrated governance structures, institutionalized rapid risk assessment and incident management processes, and sustained investment in laboratory networks, workforce development, and proactive risk communication.Strengthening these foundational elements is essential for building resilient and responsive food safety emergency systems across Africa.