When a family in Sri Lanka sits down to a meal—whether it’s a home-cooked rice and curry, a snack bought from a roadside stall, or an imported product from the supermarket—they expect that food to be safe. That expectation, however, cannot be guaranteed by local rules alone. Food today moves across borders at unprecedented speed, making international standards the backbone of consumer protection and trade. Aligning Sri Lanka’s food safety framework with global best practices is therefore not only a matter of protecting public health, but also of strengthening our economy, safeguarding our exports, and reinforcing consumer trust at home.
This is where the Codex Alimentarius, or “Food Code,” comes in. Established jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), CODEX provides globally recognized, science-based standards, guidelines, and codes of practice for food safety and quality. For Sri Lanka, deepening engagement with CODEX means two critical outcomes: ensuring the food on our plates is consistently safe and healthy, and enabling Sri Lankan farmers, processors, and exporters to compete confidently in international markets.
Learning from Global Best Practices
Around the world, countries that have successfully mainstreamed CODEX standards into their national food systems demonstrate measurable gains. The European Union, for example, harmonized its food safety legislation with CODEX principles, creating one of the most trusted food systems globally while ensuring seamless intra-regional trade. Similarly, countries like Thailand and Vietnam—both major agro-exporters—invested in strong national Codex committees, robust laboratory networks, and farm-to-fork traceability systems. This not only reduced foodborne disease outbreaks but also gave their agri-food exports a competitive advantage in demanding markets such as the EU, US, and Japan.
Sri Lanka can draw lessons from these models. Best practices include:
- Risk-based approaches to food safety: Prioritizing resources on the most significant risks, as done in New Zealand, where food inspection systems target high-risk commodities rather than spreading resources thinly.
- One Health integration: Linking food safety with animal health and environmental health, an approach championed by the Netherlands and increasingly embedded in global CODEX discussions.
- Public-private partnerships: Encouraging food processors, retailers, and exporters to participate actively in setting and implementing standards, as seen in Brazil, which successfully mobilized its poultry sector to meet CODEX-aligned export standards.
- Digital transformation: Leveraging digital traceability, e-certification, and blockchain technologies to strengthen transparency and accountability across supply chains, now widely practiced in countries like Singapore.
Adopting such practices would allow Sri Lanka to modernize its food safety ecosystem in line with global trade requirements while keeping consumers’ health at the forefront.
FAO’s Global Leadership on CODEX
FAO has been at the heart of CODEX since its inception in 1963. Together with WHO, FAO provides the scientific basis for Codex decision-making through expert panels such as the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) and the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR). These bodies conduct risk assessments that inform global standards on contaminants, food additives, veterinary drug residues, and pesticide residues—standards that directly impact what reaches our plates.
Moreover, FAO helps countries strengthen their food control systems, laboratory capacities, and risk communication strategies to align with CODEX. In Africa, for example, FAO has supported the African Union’s Inter-African Codex Initiative, enabling countries to coordinate positions and speak with a united voice in Codex sessions. In Latin America, FAO has worked on regional networks for food safety that share expertise, harmonize training, and cut duplication of effort. These examples show how countries can leverage FAO’s technical leadership to elevate their influence in international food governance.
Sri Lanka’s Journey with CODEX
Sri Lanka has made commendable progress in embedding CODEX principles into its national framework. Food safety is recognized as a core pillar under the government’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative, reflecting both health and trade priorities. By aligning national food regulations with CODEX, Sri Lanka is ensuring that the food produced locally—or imported for domestic consumption—meets rigorous, science-based standards. This builds confidence not only among consumers but also among trading partners such as the European Union, where exporters often face high compliance thresholds.
The FAO, in partnership with the European Union Delegation (EUD) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and through its Best Standardized Practices for the Agrifood Sector (BESPA-FOOD) project, has been instrumental in strengthening Sri Lanka’s engagement with CODEX. This work has introduced modern procedures for participation in Codex meetings, trained government officials, industry representatives, researchers, and academics, and piloted digital solutions such as an e-commenting platform to facilitate efficient, transparent decision-making. Importantly, these efforts help Sri Lanka present a strong, unified voice in Codex negotiations, ensuring that the unique realities of its farmers, processors, and consumers are not overlooked.
The Road Ahead for Sri Lanka
While progress has been encouraging, Sri Lanka’s path forward must focus on sustained investment and institutional strengthening. Some critical next steps include:
- Strengthening the National Codex Committee with adequate technical expertise, resources, and stakeholder participation.
- Developing modern laboratory infrastructure capable of rapid, internationally recognized testing for pesticide residues, contaminants, and microbiological hazards.
- Embedding traceability and certification systems across the food chain, supported by digital platforms, to ensure consumer safety and reduce trade rejections.
- Expanding awareness and training so that farmers, processors, and retailers understand their roles in ensuring compliance with Codex standards.
- Regional collaboration, especially with South Asian neighbors, to build a stronger collective voice in Codex deliberations, similar to Africa’s regional coordination model.
By investing in these areas, Sri Lanka can not only minimize public health risks but also unlock new market opportunities for its agri-food products.
A Clear Message
At its core, CODEX is about a simple truth: if it’s not safe, it’s not food. By embracing international standards, Sri Lanka is taking a decisive step towards protecting its people while boosting its trade competitiveness. FAO, together with the European Union and other partners, stands firmly committed to supporting this journey. Because safe food is not a privilege—it is a right, a cornerstone of public health, and a foundation for resilient, sustainable economic growth.