ZCSA Urges Stronger Industry–Academia Collaboration to Boost Product Safety
The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) has called for deeper collaboration between industry, academia and regulatory bodies to strengthen product safety and improve compliance with national standards.
Speaking on behalf of ZCSA Executive Director Gerald Chizinga during a panel discussion at the inaugural Chemical Association of Zambia Indaba, ZCSA Regional Manager for Domestic Quality Monitoring (South), Elias Kansembe, said cooperation among key stakeholders is essential for addressing gaps identified across various regulated sectors.
Mr Kansembe noted that challenges related to product packaging remain a concern, with some producers placing goods on the market without meeting required standards.
Enhanced engagement with academic institutions, he said, could help provide technical support and research needed to resolve such issues.
He urged manufacturers dealing in products covered by compulsory standards to meet statutory requirements before introducing their goods to the market.
Compliance, he emphasised, not only protects consumers from potential harm but also strengthens confidence in locally produced goods and enhances their competitiveness internationally.
“Consumers place their trust in products that are safe, credible and of good quality. Ensuring compliance with compulsory standards is fundamental to safeguarding that trust,” he said.
Mr Kansembe further highlighted that adherence to the Compulsory Standards Act No. 3 of 2027 is a legal obligation for producers and importers of regulated goods. The Act mandates ZCSA to oversee, maintain and enforce compliance in the interest of public safety, health and environmental protection.
ZCSA currently regulates 102 products across multiple sectors, including food and beverages, chemical products, construction materials, packaging materials, household electrical appliances, petroleum products, fertiliser and used textiles.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to working with industry players and academic institutions to strengthen Zambia’s quality assurance ecosystem and uphold high standards across all regulated products.
