Grenada hosts capacity building training session for National Codex Committee & stakeholders

by Grenada Bureau of Standards

The Grenada National Codex Contact Point based in the Grenada Bureau of Standards hosted a training session for National Codex Committee Members and other Codex Stakeholders.

The session, held virtually on Wednesday 21 September 2022 was entitled “How to Review Codex Draft Standards”.It was facilitated by Codex Vice-Chairperson Diego Varela, Chile with forty-nine persons in attendance.  The participants came from the National Codex Committee, government ministries, private sector and consumer organizations.  Also participating were seven Contact Points and Codex Stakeholders from the neighbouring Member States of Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, St. Kitt’s & Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.

This is the sixth training session of the eight which are carded covering nine Codex topics. These capacity building sessions are intended to provide the National Codex Committee with a better understanding of the structure and functions of Codex and the importance of Codex standards in the food trade and for ensuring food safety.  They are also intended to increase participation in Codex activities at the national level and in the standards development process. 

Feedback from the session is that it was informative and the information useful.  Participants felt that the facilitator presented in a simple, easy-to-follow way. For the majority of the participants, the information presented was new and they now have a greater understanding of how to review Codex draft standards. Generally, the information was well received, timely and needed.

Grenada wishes to thank Diego Varela for his assistance and also Dr. Lisa Harrynanan, a Health & Food Safety Specialist with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), who was instrumental in planning the session.

Photo credit ©Grenada

Pictured left to right: Ms. Brizan (Veterinary & Livestock Officer, Ministry of Agriculture); Mr.Charles (IICA National Specialist); Mr. Medford (Director of Grenada Bureau of Standards)