In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, access to food, water, and shelter are requirements for basic living. Societies have a similar hierarchy of needs to develop economically. The foundational need is food safety.
Creating a safe food supply takes the following science-based food safety regulations, food hygiene education, and ongoing food safety training to reinforce adherence. With these pieces in place, a nation can meet its basic nutritional needs, initiating a new phase of economic growth. These are the results:
1. Increased Financial Security for Citizens
In developed nations, consumers worry about the nutritional value of their food — but may take food safety for granted. In still-developing regions, foodborne illnesses are an ever-present danger. In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that 600 million people across the globe each year contract illnesses from their food, resulting in 420,000 deaths.
When people are sick, they can’t work, resulting in lost wages, and sometimes lost employment. A bacterial infection can impact individual and family finances for years. Or a parents’ lost wages may limit educational prospects for their children, creating a multi-generational cycle of poverty. When the food supply is safe, people are less likely to get ill and fall behind on work and schooling, allowing them to build savings and accrue more wealth.
2. Higher Productivity
The less often people are ill, the more productive they can be. Day-to-day individual output increases dramatically when they don’t have to worry about the integrity of the food and water that fuels them. In turn, businesses and civic organizations benefit from a more reliable labor force, enabling the development of advanced infrastructure, more economic activity, and greater prosperity. More economic opportunity in a region also enhances financial security for the people who live there.
3. Reduced Burden on Healthcare Systems
High rates of foodborne illnesses can overwhelm local hospitals and clinics, straining staff, pharmaceutical supplies, and other health resources. On the other hand, improving the safety of the food supply means medical providers spend less time and energy managing emergencies, dramatically reducing healthcare spending. In nations with socialized medicine, less strain on the healthcare system frees the government to invest more in infrastructure and other projects that benefit the public good. Individuals benefit financially as well, with fewer economic setbacks from hospital bills.
4. Enablement of Trade
The global marketplace requires exporters to comply with stringent regulations to keep people and the supply chain safe. Regions that haven’t adopted modern food safety training often can’t participate in international trade because their exports don’t meet global standards. Economies that can quickly grow their gross domestic product (GDP) through trade are also able to attract foreign investment and business interest, enabling even more rapid economic growth. Increased commercial activity from trade invites additional benefits as well, like more tourism.
Food Safety Training: The Key to Lasting Economic Growth
Creating a safe food supply and reducing risk of foodborne illness lays the foundation for a civilization to grow. Just as food security helps individuals gather resources, form communities, and develop self-esteem, a safe food supply helps societies become more stable, generate more economic activity, and develop an identity in the global community. It all begins with adopting global compliance standards, and providing food safety training for frontline food workers.
AIB International is a world leader in food safety consulting and education, with a number of programs designed to help businesses comply with global standards. Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about the latest developments in international food safety, or learn more about food safety and sanitation practices in our online courses, here.