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Food safety is essential to a strong food system, but for many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), knowing what needs to be done is only the beginning. Businesses need practical training, resources, and tools that can help them understand food safety requirements and incorporate them into their daily operations. This need is particularly important in a global food system, where businesses must navigate increasingly complex supply chains, markets, and regulatory environ

Food moves across borders every day, connecting farms, processors, exporters, importers, regulators, and consumers around the world. As food supply chains become increasingly global, protecting the safety of that food requires more than inspections at the point of entry. It requires strong food safety systems throughout the supply chain and the capacity to identify and address risks at the source. A recent Washington Post article highlighted this challenge and emphasized the

Food security is not only about producing enough food. It also depends on whether food can be safely stored, transported, and distributed as it moves from producers to markets and consumers. This is particularly important for perishable commodities such as fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, eggs, meat, and seafood. These foods are highly perishable and require reliable temperature-controlled infrastructure throughout the supply chain. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA

Food fortification is one of the most widely used approaches to improving nutrition worldwide. By adding essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods such as flour, rice, edible oils, and salt, fortification can help address nutrient deficiencies across populations. According to the World Hunger Education Service, food fortification is one of the most efficient and cost-effective public health interventions for preventing vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Why Fo

Millions of people rely on humanitarian food assistance every year. Delivering food to communities affected by conflict, natural disasters, and food insecurity requires an extensive supply chain that includes procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution. Maintaining food safety throughout each of these stages is essential to protecting the health of those receiving assistance and ensuring food reaches recipients in a safe, nutritious condition. Research shows that f

Food loss remains one of the most persistent inefficiencies in global food systems. While production continues to increase, a significant share of food never reaches consumers. According to UNEP, over one billion tons of food is lost or wasted each year, with a large proportion occurring before products even reach retail markets. In many low- and middle-income countries, these losses are concentrated in post-harvest handling, storage, transport, and early-stage processing. Wh

Micronutrient deficiencies remain one of the most persistent challenges in global food systems, particularly for children. Deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, iodine, and vitamin A can limit physical growth, weaken immune systems, and affect cognitive development during critical stages of life. Scaling Nutrition Through Food Fortification Recent research highlights the scale and potential of food fortification. Current large-scale fortification programs already prevent ap

Across African food systems, investment is not the missing piece. Capital continues to flow into agriculture, with the African Development Bank (AfDB) consistently allocating 8–10% of its annual approvals to the sector between 2019 and 2025. In 2022, agricultural commitments reached UA 1.34 billion under the Feed Africa priority, a 48% increase from 2021, supported by the African Emergency Food Production Facility, which mobilized USD 1.5 billion for staple crop production ac

Across Africa, agriculture plays a central role in food security, economic development, and climate resilience. Investment in the sector continues to grow and is an important driver of agricultural transformation. A recent review of African Development Bank agricultural financing between 2019 and 2025, published by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa, provides useful insight into how this investment is being directed and what it means for food system performance. For

Food safety expectations continue to evolve as regulators move toward more science-based approaches to managing risk. While these efforts aim to improve public health outcomes, they also highlight an ongoing challenge for food businesses: meeting increasing expectations while navigating complex and sometimes unclear implementation requirements. For many companies, the issue is not just understanding changing standards but having internal systems and capacity to apply them con

The evidence has been building for some time. A couple years ago, Food Enterprise Solutions was working with a portfolio of growing food businesses in Senegal, small and medium enterprises producing everything from baby foods and fruit juices to fresh vegetables and frozen produce. Alongside improving their food handling and safety practices, we set out to answer a question that matters enormously to food businesses across the region: could these companies attract formal inve

For decades, much of U.S. foreign assistance has relied on large implementing organizations and traditional project-based delivery models. While these approaches have produced important results, they often operate through complex institutional structures that can limit how much investment and opportunity ultimately reaches local businesses and entrepreneurs. A growing body of experience suggests that business-to-business (B2B) engagement—particularly through U.S. small and me

For many growing food businesses, food safety is often viewed primarily as a compliance requirement. The experience of companies participating in the five-year FES project “Business Drivers for Food Safety” (BD4FS), however, shows that structured food safety systems function as far more than regulatory safeguards. When implemented strategically, they become drivers of operational efficiency, commercial credibility, and long-term growth. Across participating businesses, FES di

For growing food businesses, access to new markets depends on more than increasing production. Buyers expect consistency, documentation, and clear food safety practices that demonstrate reliability. Without these foundations, even high-quality products can struggle to meet formal market expectations. The experience of companies participating in the FES designed and implemented Business Drivers for Food Safety (BD4FS) project shows that structured food safety systems are essen

As the global food system becomes increasingly integrated and complex, it’s essential that companies embrace food safety not only in their domestic market but also for export. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular face greater challenges when trying to export to lucrative yet strict markets like the UK and the U.S. These companies are the main customers for FES training and technical assistance services we offer globally. FES worked diligently with over 6,000 SME

The recent one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 2028 creates a timely opportunity for small and medium-sized food and agriculture businesses in both the United States and Africa. Signed into law on February 3, 2026, after the agreement expired on September 30, 2025, this extension, while shorter than the proposed 16-year renewal, provides a near-term opportunity for enterprises seeking to build or expand trans-Atlantic trade relationship

Food safety has always been essential. Today, it is also a core driver of market access, buyer trust, and business growth. As we discussed in our recent article on the evolving rules of food safety in global markets , expectations are shifting beyond basic compliance toward systems that demonstrate transparency, traceability, and continuous control across supply chains. As markets grow more complex and standards continue to rise, food enterprises need food safety systems that

For food companies expanding into global markets, food safety is no longer just a requirement at the border – it needs to be integrated across the supply chain to be effective in protecting commercial interests as well as consumers. The World Economic Forum’s report The Food Rules: How Regulation Is Transforming the Future of Food arrives at a moment when trade, regulation, and trust are under growing pressure for systematic, yet practical, change that responds to the needs

By Russ Webster and Roberta Lauretti-Bernhard The African Development Bank projects that the continent’s food and agriculture market could grow from about $280 billion annually to $1 trillion by 2030. (African Development Bank, Ten-Year Strategy 2024–2033). In other sectors as well, increased population, urbanization, and global trade are creating opportunity for African entrepreneurs, who are responding in force. The stories shared in How We Made It In Africa point to a

The meat and poultry industry is shifting toward a future where food safety focuses on prevention and proactive measures. While recent years have included high profile recalls, regulators and industry leaders are using these events to strengthen oversight, improve detection, and reduce risk across the food supply chain. A recent Meat + Poultry article highlights how the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investing in expanded testing capabilities, improved inspection resourc