Boosting Namibia's Fish and Fishery Product Exports through Support from IAEA and FAO

Scientists at NSI’s testing laboratory and other national institutes such as the Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency and the Central Veterinary Laboratory have worked with the IAEA and the FAO for years to build and strengthen the country’s food and water safety and quality assurance system. This collaborative work, primarily through the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation programme, has involved training courses, equipment and consumables procurement, expert advice, fellowships at the IAEA and other collaborating laboratories, as well as participation in IAEA-coordinated international research.

NSI used to outsource tests for heavy metals and for other food safety tests of fishery products to labs in other countries, said Ellitson, adding that “we only had one machine per test. If a machine went down, which happened often, it meant downtimes of up to six months and required outsourcing. Not only was it more expensive, but it also meant fishery products took longer to certify and ship, leading to longer storage times.”

Namibia is now doing its own tests on various commodities, including fish and fishery products. It uses nuclear techniques such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry, as well as other techniques to detect, measure and ensure products are free from contaminants including heavy metals, select pesticide residues and mycotoxins. Over 300 samples from shellfish and fishing companies have been tested on average each year by NSI’s testing laboratory since 2018. This has contributed to exports continuing to be accepted by international markets.

The country’s strengthened testing and inspection capabilities on food safety and quality helped it to meet the required standards and regulations to facilitate exports to the European Union. In 2019, fish and fishery products made up over 30% of EU imports from Namibia.

Namibia is currently listed as a third-country exporter of fish and fishery products to the EU.  To receive this designation, the country has had to ensure its testing and inspection services can reliably meet stringent safety and quality standards. A key part of providing that assurance is also laboratory accreditation.

“We need safe food on the market and laboratory accreditation provides third-party assurance that the laboratory’s test results are trustworthy and that the products are safe,” said Ellitson. Accreditation is a formal recognition received after an external accreditation body evaluates and confirms a laboratory’s technical competence to perform specific types of tests and measurements.

The NSI testing laboratory’s accreditation for food safety and quality test methods was broadened and extended after improving its capacities through the IAEA and FAO’s support. It has maintained its accreditation since 2012 and continues to participate in five proficiency testing schemes each year with other international laboratories to ensure it effectively covers all accreditation and regulatory aspects.