Documentary Gives Stark Warning about a Major Global Health Concern

WASHINGTON DC, UNITED STATES, October 25, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The USAID-funded Feed The Future program, EatSafe: Evidence and Action Towards Safe Nutritious Food (EatSafe), has today unveiled its groundbreaking documentary, Food Safety: The Biggest Development Challenge You’ve Never Heard Of. The film showcases the long-shadowed realm of food safety. Delia Grace Randolph, a leading researcher on food safety in traditional markets, makes a call to action for attention to this often-overlooked facet of global health.

In Randolph’s words, “If you really want to make a difference to the health, happiness, livelihoods, and wealth of people go for problems which are huge, neglected, and tractable, and food safety is that.”

The documentary illuminates the stark reality of foodborne disease (FBD). Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) due to foodborne disease stands at a staggering 42 million. This statistic is on par with diseases commonly referred to as “The Big Three” - malaria, HIV/AIDS, and TB. Children are also at the highest risk, bearing over 40% of the burden of FBD, while only making up 9% of the population. Despite the immense toll it takes on human lives, unsafe food has yet to garner the global attention and resources it deserves.

Traditional markets, pivotal to the nutritional intake of billions, are at the heart of this discourse. These markets are important in anchoring community life. They are also primary income sources, especially for women. Regrettably, they've been sidelined in the larger framework of developmental funding, leading to a pervasive lack of essential infrastructure and knowledge, compromising food safety. Consequently, many essential foods teem with harmful pathogens that endanger health on a massive scale.

The film’s narrative is not one of despair but of actionable solutions. The documentary introduces the Three-Legged Stool Approach to food safety, which encompasses creating enabling environments, training, and technologies, and establishing incentives for behavior change. Randolph champions the belief that consumer demand for safe food can be the catalyst for change in traditional markets.

EatSafe’s Chief of Party, Richard Pluke, says, “Food Safety: The Biggest Development Challenge You’ve Never Heard Of is more than a film; it's an urgent summons to address an unrecognized global crisis, underscoring the profound impact of foodborne disease and the need to address gaps in food safety. Beyond the prevention of illnesses, food safety amplifies the dividends from investments in health, education, nutrition, and economic development.”

The documentary is available on YouTube and is essential viewing for policymakers, health professionals, and global citizens alike. For deeper insights, register for EatSafe’s virtual screening and fireside chat on October 31, 2023. You can view it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc7sQ2hM34U&feature=youtu.be

For more information, contact EatSafe@gainhealth.org or visit ww.gainhealth.org/EatSafe.

This event was made possible through support provided by Feed the Future through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the terms of Agreement #7200AA19CA00010. The opinions expressed herein are those of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

Edwin Shankar
Leidar
edwin.shankar@leidar.com

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