Landbased establishments
To protect the consumer, NSI monitors food processing establishments and the food that they produce. Inspections can be used to verify compliance with the set compulsory standard requirements. Normal physical factory inspections are done where the hygiene, construction, production processes, and systems are checked to determine compliance with the Compulsory standard requirements. Once found to be in compliance with the requirements, the establishment is registered with the NSI and issued with a certificate of conformity
Surveillance inspections are conducted to assess a facility’s compliance with a regulation. Surveillance inspections can be routine or targeted. Routine inspections are conducted to assess regulatory compliance. Targeted inspections are based on specific food safety risks.
Compliance Follow-Up inspections serve to verify compliance and/or corrective actions taken in the wake of non-compliances.
The NSI’s approach to inspections is risk-based and seeks to form a complete understanding of a facility’s food safety system. This enables NSI inspectors to focus on aspects that may adversely affect consumers.
Fishing vessels, cold stores, warehouses, ice plants and product offloading sites are all inspected to support the farm to fork principle.
Depending on the product being produced, landbased establishments must meet the compulsory standard requirements stipulated for that product.
The following food standards make provision for these requirements:
- NAMS/SANS 585
- NAMS/SANS 587
- NAMS/SANS 788
- NAMS/SANS 885
- NAMS/SANS 1675
- NAMS/SANS 2074
- NAMS/SANS 2329
Application for registration can be obtained here.
Factory and Freezer Vessels
- NAMS/SANS 585
- NAMS/SANS 587
- NAMS/SANS 788
- NAMS/SANS 885
- NAMS/SANS 2074
- NAMS/SANS 2329
Ice Vessels
With the application of farm to fork principles, ice fishing vessels are inspected by NSI’s experienced and well-trained inspectors to determine their suitability, ensuring that minimum good manufacturing practises are applied to ensure that raw materials supplied to landbased establishments are safe and of good quality.
These vessels are registered by the NSI to ensure that registered land based establishments source raw materials from reliable suppliers.
Application form for registration of establishment can be obtained here.
For detailed steps on the flow of the process of registration of establishments, Process Flow Chart for Registering Establishment is accessible here.
The Namibian Shellfish Sanitation Programme (NSSP)
The government department of Aquaculture, through the Mariculture Sub-Division under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform (MAFWLR), is the responsible authority for aquaculture in Namibia, mandated to sustainably manage the living aquatic resources and promote the aquaculture sector with the mission to responsibly manage the living aquatic resources and to continuously ensure a conducive environment for the aquaculture sector to prosper. As part of this mandate, a Namibian Shellfish Sanitation Programme (NSSP) is established as per section 26 of the Aquaculture Act 2002 (Act no. 18 of 2002) to control and monitor the molluscan shellfish farming activities in order to promote and improve the sanitation of molluscan shellfish.
In a strategic collaboration, the NSI supports the MAFWLR with the implementation of the NSSP by providing technical services to ensures that domestically produced molluscan shellfish, such as oysters, mussels, and abalone, are safe for human consumption.
Our core responsibilities within the NSSP include:
- Performing sampling for laboratory testing of microbiological contaminants, marine biotoxins, heavy metals, and dioxins.
- Conducting growing areas assessments and shoreline surveys to assess sanitary conditions.
- Identifying, classifying, and monitoring shellfish growing areas alongside MAFWLR and food business operators.
- Evaluation of test results.
Furthermore, the NSI is involved in the development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the NSSP and annual review of monitoring activities and data for the NSSP Annual Review Report, from which annual sampling schedule is developed to inform monitoring activities of hazards related to molluscan shellfish and growing water, to determine sanitary conditions. These activities inform MAFWLR and food business operators on the safety of the molluscan shellfish products for human consumption.
By enforcing these sanitary controls, the NSI empowers Namibian producers to meet stringent international market requirements, ensuring the global competitiveness and unwavering safety of our premium seafood exports.
Approved sampling schedule can be accessed here.