The food safety activities, which started in 1999, were greatly accelerated once PAHO became a collaborating member with the Ministry of Health in late 2000. In December 1999, a workshop was held to provide food safety guidance to female entrepreneurs. Problems in food processing were identified and a steering committee was established. Eight meetings were held by the Steering Committee to advise on food safety policies. The committee was composed of representatives from NIMOS (an environmental organization), the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources, consultants in quality management and women entrepreurs. A national food safety invitation coordinated by PAHO in collaboration with Inter American Institute for Collaboration in Agriculture (IICA), was sent out in February 2001 to request private sector involvement in securing food safety in Suriname. March 6, 2001 was the occasion of the first collaboration meeting between private sector and government on this issue, where the respective needs and expectation of both public and private sector participants were discussed. The need was identified to establish a regulatory board. Attendees for the March 6 meeting included representatives from PAHO-Suriname, PAHO-Caribbean, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Foundation for Suriname Tourism. Currently the board's functions and structure are still under discussion. A May 9, 2001 follow-up workshop resulted in a report called "Building Public/Private Partnership in Food Safety" produced in partnership between PAHO and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. The workshop strengthened networking among involved stakeholders for the coordination of food safety activities, presented national food safety needs of government stakeholders and private sector, presented the common needs of the public and private sector and formulated short and long-term actions in the field of food safety to move ahead together.

Economic Development, Health.

This programme was established for several reasons. Suriname is behind schedule in the context of globalized food safety standards and currently no food safety system is in place. Bringing Suriname products up to international requirements for trade and overall health will ensure continued exports of Suriname products. The programme was put in place to advise the government on National Food Safety Policy since foodborne diseases remain one of the most widespread public health problems in the contemporary world, and an important cause of reduced economic productivity, despite progress in food science and technologies. Food safety activities will upgrade the National food regulations and standards in the context of the Codex Alimentarius (international board of standards).

Interesting outcomes so far include the creation of a basis document in collaboration with all levels of government to provide a base for all further food safety activities. Also, a technical cooperation has been established between Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago and Argentina whereby animal health standards are being implemented so that meat can be exported and general animal health is maintained.