The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will help Vietnam to enhance its national system of agro-fishery production and safety inspection techniques.
 |
| JICA will help Vietnam to enhance its national system of agro-fishery production and safety inspection techniques (illustration photo) |
JICA, along with the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (Vietnam SPS Office), and the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s International Cooperation Department signed a project hoped to strengthen the inspection system for ensuring safety agro-fishery in Vietnam.
JICA has pledged a total of JPY350 million (USD4.5 million) non-refundable government aid. The plan is to be implemented between 2011 and 2014.
Food poisoning is still a big problem in Vietnam. But it is not only a health issue. Many exports have been rejected by other countries because of health safety issues.
Taigo Endo, of JICA SPS, was in charge of the project’s feasibility study. According to him, “Our study points out the need for a comprehensive and scientific system for monitoring the safety of agro-forestry and fishery products coming from Vietnam. Many laboratories are not equipped with high-tech machines for food product safety analysis."
One of the main aims of the project will be to properly train Vietnamese staff to make sure that export products stand up to international standards.