On 23 June in Hanoi, EuroCham’s Food, Agri & Aqua Businesses Sector Committee (FAAB SC) spoke at the 5th meeting of the Food Safety Working Group (FSTWG) under the Vietnam One Health Partnership (OHP) with the theme “Food Safety Management along the Value Chain”.
Co-Chairing the meeting were the National Institute for Food Control (NIFC), Ministry of Health, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), with support from the Governments of Australia and the Republic of Korea, under the rotating mechanism of the FSTWG. The session welcomed representatives from government agencies, development partners, NGOs, Institutes, Associations, and private sector players.
Food safety is a cross-sectoral challenge
One message was clear from the discussions: food safety is a cross-sectoral challenge, requiring the collaboration from stakeholders across the value chain from farm to table. To translate this vision into concreate actions, delegates covered key topics, including:
- Emerging challenges in Vietnam’s food safety management
- Chain-link models for safe food production and consumption
- Digital transformation solutions for traceability and food safety risk management
- Ongoing initiatives, projects, and collaborative activities under the One Health Partnership framework
Insights from EuroCham Vietnam
Representing EuroCham Vietnam, FAAB SC Member and General Director of Seaprodex, Mr. Mai Xuan Phong, delivered a presentation on value-chain linkage models for safe food production and distribution, highlighting:
- Opportunities and challenges of the European market for agricultural & aquatic product exports: current shift in consumers’ demand, advantages under the EVFTA, along with technical barriers & compliance challenges
- Value-chain linkage model: Through the case study of the Ecological Shrimp Value Chain Model, Mr. Mai analysed how this solution combines sustainable economic development with conservation of the Ca Mau mangrove ecosystem.
- Recommendations from the business sector to governing bodies: refining standards & regulations, enhancing inspection & monitoring at all stages of the supply chain, promote digitalisation in management, and strictly enforcing penalties against the use of banned chemicals.
Together with our Food, Agri & Aqua Businesses Sector Committee, EuroCham is committed to accompany Vietnam’s One Health Partnership. Through providing business insights and recommendations, we aim to contribute to enhancing food safety in Vietnam, to promote the competitiveness of Vietnam’s exports, and most importantly to protect consumers’ health.
