Cambodia Fostering Development of Food Standards Throughout Food Chain

Phnom Penh, August 16, 2023 --

Cambodia is committed to ensuring that its food supply is safe and healthy for all Cambodians, leading to safe and healthy diets, said H.E. Dith Tina, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries during the World Food Safety Day celebration held here on Wednesday.

“We are committed to ensuring that our food supply is safe and healthy for all Cambodians through a multisectoral approach, which will lead to safe and healthy diets, accessible through proper pricing and responsive to all forms of nutrition issues,” he said.

However, this task requires good stakeholder cooperation and a willingness among respective stakeholders to implement relevant food safety practices. These stakeholders should comprise consumers, the private sector and Government from the national and sub-national levels, he said.

This is Cambodia's second World Food Safety Day celebration held under the theme "Food Standards Save Lives", as organised under the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD).

Food safety, nutrition and food security not only contribute to the health and wellbeing of a population, but also support national economies, stimulating sustainable development, said Dr. Nargiza Khodjaeva, Acting WHO Representative to Cambodia.

"While globally, Southeast Asia has some of the highest incidences and death rates related to food borne illness, the positive steps the Royal Government of Cambodia has made to strengthen food safety to date will help safeguard human health for all Cambodians," Dr. Nargiza Khodjaeva said. Narin SOK, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Country Representative, said through the European Union (EU) funding, we are implementing the food safety systems in the fisheries sector, harmonising with EU requirements, which could be replicated in other sectors.

"Cambodia's food processing industry has the potential for economic development. The government strives to improve food safety and standards as the country enters the global market. We are currently assisting in developing a legal framework and control system, while building capacity to ensure food standards are improved and public health requirements are met,” he said.

Three hundred stakeholders in agriculture, food and nutrition came together on Aug. 16, 2023 in Phnom Penh, for Cambodia's World Food Safety Day commemoration, aimed at drawing attention and inspiring action on food safety.