Burkina - Ouagadougou/ Food: Street restaurant operators made aware of the danger of spoiled products and the need for healthy food for consumers

On Friday, December 27, 2024, some 50 street food vendors and vegetable sellers received training in product quality and healthy eating for the population of Ouagadougou. This awareness-raising campaign was initiated by the NGO Rikolto, through the AfriFOODlinks project. It aims to draw the attention of restaurant operators to the dangers of consuming spoiled products, and to the need to respect hygiene rules and use healthy products, to avoid food-borne illness for consumers.

According to statistics, over 90% of the capital's inhabitants eat at least one or two meals a day away from home, due to their professional occupations. The World Health Organization also reveals that food-borne diseases are more common in West Africa. With this in mind, the NGO Rikolto has organized an awareness-raising workshop for street food vendors and vegetable sellers, who play an important role in Ouagadougou's food chain.

According to Harouna Maiga, coordinator of the AfriFOODlinks Ouagadougou project, the activity is part of the project's work plan 4, which aims to transform people's food environments. It follows on from a previous session, which strengthened the capacity of women restaurateurs to cook healthy food.

During the awareness-raising session, participants will learn more about the dangers of consuming spoiled products, the need toDuring the awareness-raising session, participants will learn more about the dangers of consuming spoiled products, the need to use quality food and products, the dangers of using certain products in cooking, and the need to respect the hygiene of restaurant premises and staff. They will also learn about the catering guide adopted by the Direction générale de promotion de l'économie rurale.

This was made possible thanks to the support of several partner institutions, including the hygiene department of Ouagadougou town hall, the nutrition directorate, the anti-fraud and anti-corruption brigade, the general directorate for the promotion of the rural economy, etc.

Adlaye Nabaloum, head of the food hygiene section of the Ouagadougou municipal health services department, reported that the main infractions encountered during inspection visits were in the dishwashing department, inadequate food protection, uncovered hair, latrine maintenance, poor wastewater management, and so on. He urged restaurant operators to be more vigilant about the hygiene of their dining environment, the meals they serve, and the staff who serve them.

Apollinaire Nombré, representing WP2 of the SAFEVEG project, dwelt on the benefits of consuming green leaves. A study carried out as part of the SAFEVEG project showed that 93% of the urban population did not consume green leaves on a regular basis. Yet, as Apollinaire Nombré points out, green leaves should be an integral part of all menus, as they are packed with a number of nutrients that are beneficial to the body. In particular, they are rich in iron, fiber and beta-carotene.

The Nutrition Department has issued a communication to inform participants of the risks associated with the improper use of certain products in cooking their food. The mobile anti-fraud brigade emphasized the proliferation of spoiled products, which can end up in restaurants.

At the end of the session, the participants said they had acquired new skills and were ready to share them with their peers. Belem Balkissa, a restaurateur specializing in local dishes, confides that, thanks to the awareness-raising session, hygiene will be further reinforced in her place of business, and particular emphasis will be placed on the quality of products used for meals.

Habibata Kaboré/Minoungou, a vegetable seller, also claims to have learned a great deal about hygiene and the risks associated with consuming spoiled produce. She pledged to share her knowledge with her colleagues who did not take part in the awareness-raising campaign, as well as with her customers.
According to the project coordinator, the ambition of the AfriFOODlinks Ouagadougou project is to build a street restaurant model called "Golden Restaurant". This restaurant model should enable the project's women beneficiaries to benefit from a package of good hygiene practices and improved menus. "We want to do something so that, in the end, we can make a difference and reduce the rate of food-related illnesses in the city of Ouagadougou", explains Harouna Maiga.

Source: lefaso.net/