Cognizant of the importance of measures for government assurance of the quality and safety of domestically produced, exported and imported feed, build the confidence of local and export customers about the quality and safety of Ethiopian Live animals and animal products and foster competitiveness in the world market to enhance foreign exchange earnings from exports;

Cognizant of the fact that Ethiopia is due to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) where Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) is a requirement for international trade in agricultural products, it has been found necessary to assure the free movement of safe and wholesome feed

WHEREAS, it has been found necessary to protect the livestock population directly consuming feed, economic risks to livestock producers, the health of the human population consuming animal products and the environment through ensuring the safety of compound feeds and feed ingredients produced, imported, distributed, exported, retailed and utilized;

WHEREAS, it is found necessary to ensure that imported and exported compound feeds and feed ingredients fulfill the necessary safety requirements and the functioning of feed markets in an orderly manner by prohibiting the production and sale of unsafe feed products and fraudulent acts committed on feeds;

WHEREAS, it is found necessary to guide appropriate feed risk analysis taking into account the farm feed production to utilization continuum, put a standard and acceptable guidance for follow up and self-regulation by feed ingredient and compound feed producers, importers, distributors, exporters, retailers and users in place so that safe feed and consequently safe food is produced; and identify the roles of different stakeholders when a need to respond to feed safety related emergencies arise;

NOW, THEREFORE, in accordance with the duties and responsibilities given to the Authority under Sub-article 2 of Article 28 of Proclamation number 728/2011to issue directives necessary for the implementation of this Proclamation and other regulations therefrom, this Directive is issued to guide Feed Risk Assessment, Risk Management and Risk Communication to safeguard animals from health risks; humans from economic and health risks; and to ensure the functioning of feed markets in an orderly manner by prohibiting the production and sale of unsafe feed products and fraudulent actions committed on feeds.