Development Of The National Food Safety Policy (nfsp) And Implementation Plan

Organizational Context

Food safety is a critical public health and economic development priority for Sierra Leone, with unsafe food contributing to illnesses, reduced productivity, and increased healthcare costs. The country currently lacks a comprehensive national food safety policy aligned with international standards. The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Food Safety Technical Working Group, is developing a multisectoral National Food Safety Policy and implementation plan to address this critical gap.

Job Purpose

The purpose of this role is to lead the development of a comprehensive, evidence-based, and context-appropriate National Food Safety Policy and its accompanying implementation plan for Sierra Leone. This critical initiative aims to establish a coordinated national framework for risk prevention, control, surveillance, regulation, capacity building, and emergency response across the entire food value chain, from farm to fork. The role will address the current lack of a national food safety strategy aligned with international standards such as the Codex Alimentarius, WHO Global Food Safety Strategy 2022–2030, and ECOWAS commitments. By doing so, it will significantly contribute to reducing the burden of foodborne diseases and enhancing the quality of food for domestic consumption, import, and export, guiding systemic improvements identified in the national roadmap.

Responsibilities

The consultant will undertake a comprehensive desk review and gap analysis, examining existing national policies, international food safety frameworks, and the results of Sierra Leone's food safety capacity mapping and roadmap. This involves analyzing the current food safety landscape, including policies, legislation, institutional mandates, laboratory capacity, surveillance systems, and enforcement mechanisms. A key responsibility is to identify country-specific needs, gaps, challenges, and priorities essential for strengthening Sierra Leone's food safety system. The role also requires identifying key stakeholders across the food management continuum, such as agriculture, health, laboratories, fisheries, trade, customs, and private sectors, to ensure their support for policy and plan implementation. Finally, the consultant will be responsible for drafting the multisectoral National Food Safety Policy and its implementation plan, ensuring it provides a coordinated national framework for risk prevention, control, surveillance, regulation, capacity building, and emergency response across the food value chain.

Work Experience

Candidates must possess a minimum of 7 years of experience in policy and strategy development. Essential experience includes familiarity with the WHO global food safety strategy, Codex Alimentarius standards, and the specific food safety challenges prevalent in developing countries. Experience working with the UN on policy, strategy, or guideline development is a desirable advantage.

Skills

Key technical skills and knowledge include: Strong facilitation abilities; Excellent communication skills; Proficiency in stakeholder management and engagement.

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