A two day workshop this week in Tongatapu focused on food safety and nutrition standards in Tonga and safeguarding the health and well-being of communities.

The workshop held from 23-24 August, at the Kupesi Tonga Hotel launched the Codex Trust Fund project in Tonga.

Codex works to promote food safety and nutrition standards, in collaboration of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests (MAFF), and the Ministry of Health.

The workshop was organised by the National Codex Consultant Luseane Taufa.

She said participants gained insights into the project's objectives, its alignment with Codex principles, and its potential impact on Tonga's food safety landscape.

The FAO Assistant Resident Representative and Minister for MAFF 'Isileli ‘Aholelei said, “Through our efforts, we're not just building a stronger Codex structure; we're safeguarding the health and well-being of our people.”

The CEO of MAFF, the Pesticide Registrar, spoke about ongoing work on safe pesticide use, in light of increasing pest-related challenges in Tonga.

The workshop discussions covered various topics and areas, including regulating of certain foods, capacity building and limited resources, food safety for Tourism, nutrition education vs. taxation, pesticide residue and farming, food vendors and hygiene practices, exporters, and fair trade.