Obstacle or opportunity? Food safety standards as a challenge for developing countries

Policy brief No. 1. In recent years, food consumers have become in- creasingly aware of and concerned about the sa- fety of food products. As a response, public and private actors have introduced different standards to ensure that food safety reaches the degree de- manded by consumers. Developing countries often lack the institutional capacities and financial and non-financial resources to comply with standards. It is therefore crucial for stakeholders in develop- ment aid to provide especially small-scale pro- ducers with access to these resources, as otherwise the farmers face negative economic long-term con- sequences by being excluded from value chains and more remunerative exports markets.