Einstein is credited with saying “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” The same may be said about the role of local university capacity– both human and institutional—in regards to data generation, student training, and information sharing and dissemination. In many low and middle income countries, local universities lack capacity to conduct necessary research for food safety. This is a deficiency, particularly when considering the role that poor food hygiene and safety practices play on human health outcomes. Several sources have implicated enteric infections as contributing factors to the infection-malnutrition paradigm, and repeated enteric infections—specifically among children under the age of 5—have been linked to slow gains in global child nutrition outcomes (e.g. stunting; Crane et al., 2015; Lin et al., 2013; Guerrant et al., 2012; Poonum and Petri, 2012). Furthermore, the World Health Organization (WHO) has determined that “the global burden of Foodborne Disease is comparable to those of the three major infectious diseases, HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis” (Havelaar et al., 2015).
It is evident that the burden of foodborne disease, on a global scale, is substantial. However, many countries currently lack robust data on the presence, distribution, and ecology of foodborne hazards in several agriculture value chains. Building research capacity in local universities will enable researchers to develop the necessary science-based data and information, train students and young professionals about food safety principles, and improve food systems. The following key areas of human and institutional capacity development (HICD) are a foundational part of unlocking food safety research and educational potential in many low and middle income countries.
- Laboratory capacity development: Food safety hazards (i.e. microbial contaminants and chemical contaminants) cannot easily be studied without proper laboratory equipment. Many local universities lack adequate laboratory facilities (i.e. labs with appropriate biosafety measures and equipment) to conduct food safety research and generate accurate and reliable data. This is especially true in regards to biological hazards, where molecular techniques have become gold standards in many disciplines (e.g. microbiology). University laboratory capacity development is a key pathway to success in food safety research, as it equips in-country researchers with the proper tools to conduct high quality science, while also providing students with an environment to learn.
- Opportunities for Youth Engagement: The lack of equipment and facilities is not always the major gap in all university settings. In many cases, universities are in need of trained personnel to maintain and operate laboratory equipment and conduct protocols. Training of students as laboratory technicians is a great opportunity for youth engagement, and may also support sustainability of research labs. Furthermore, universities can provide options for youth to work with private industry partners. This can ultimately encourage entrepreneurship for youth and strengthen linkages between private industry and universities. For example, training youth for positions as lab technicians can also provide them with expertise to develop third-party testing services at commercial rates, creating income generation for youth and a more dynamic food safety system overall.
- Training of extension specialists: Community-based food safety education and outreach activities may have several positive impacts in mitigating foodborne hazards. Training extension specialists to work with local farmers, distributors, and markets helps create an enabling environment for farm-to-fork food safety programs. Extension programs should seek to inform stakeholders about proper food handling (pre- and post-harvest), food safety hazards and risks, and risk communication.
- Education for students: Food safety as a discipline can be considered very broad. This may be due to the fact that effective food safety programs must consider everything from agriculture productivity, animal and public health, economics and trade, all the way up to policy environments. This allows individuals from diverse educational backgrounds to work together on complex problems. Food safety can be an attractive and dynamic degree path for students with varying educational interests, and may provide employment opportunities in many sectors of food production. By developing and strengthening undergraduate and graduate student education programs, universities will be able to empower young minds to take on leadership positions at multiple levels of the food industry, which will result in sustainability for food safety programs and drive innovation in low and middle income countries.
The current spotlight on food safety in low and middle income countries must continue to shine, and university capacity development should be a main focus. Equipping teaching and research institutions will ultimately equip researchers and students alike to conduct cutting-edge research and apply food safety principles to country-specific contexts and challenges. This approach is not only necessary, but may also be the path of most certainty in order to obtain measurable impacts in reducing the burden of foodborne disease, improving public health outcomes, and creating safer food systems worldwide.
About the Author
Dr. Jessie Vipham is an assistant professor in the Department of Animal Science at Kansas State University. Dr. Vipham serves as a member of the Feed the Future Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab and leads research subawards funded by the Horticulture Innovation Lab and Livestock Systems Innovation Lab.
