MEDIA ADVISORY

Cambodia to celebrate the World Food Safety Day highlighting the need to prioritize food safety throughout the food chain, from farm to table

WHEN: 30 June 2022 from 8:00 to 5:30 pm

WHERE: Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra

WHO: The event will include remarks by:

MEDIA INVITED

Member of the press are cordially invited to join this event. Please scan this QR code to register your participation. 

WHAT IS IT?

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in partnership with the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) under the leadership of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) jointly celebrate the World Food Safety Day (WFSD) with an aim to raise public awareness on food safety issues.

The event will bring together approximately 250 people from every stage of the food chain - from production to harvest, processing, storage, distribution, all the way to preparation and consumption. This year WFSD celebration in Cambodia signifies the need to strengthen efforts to ensure that the food is safe to eat, mainstream food safety in the public agenda and reduce foodborne diseases, while facilitating Cambodia’s trade opportunities.

Safer Food, better health

Safe food is essential to human health and well-being. Only when food is safe can we fully benefit from its nutritional value and from the mental and social benefits of sharing a safe meal.

Globally, 1 in 10 people are affected by foodborne diseases annually. Unsafe food is a threat to human health and economies, affecting poor and vulnerable people, including infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with chronic. In addition, foodborne illness is responsible for 420 000 preventable deaths every year. Food safety awareness can prevent foodborne diseases.

Food Safety has been elevated on the international development agenda, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has sharpened the focus on food safety-related issues, such as hygiene, antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, climate change and food fraud.

Food safety is a complex challenge in Cambodia. The RGC has made strong effort and commitment to address food safety issues. On 08 June 2022, the Food Safety Law has been promulgated by His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni. The law sets out the framework and mechanisms for managing and ensuring food standards, safety, quality, hygiene and the legitimacy of food in all stages of food production chain, to provide protection of health and food safety for consumers and to ensure fair food trade. Despite impressive progress in addressing food security in the country, there remains ongoing challenges in ensuring food accessibility, dietary diversity and nutrition, especially among the rural poor, pregnant women and children under five.

This year's WFSD has the theme: “Safer food, better health”. It focuses on the ways in which safer food can improve health and well-being, not only physical health, but also that of animals and environment.

Human behaviour, the way food systems are built and how food supply chains are managed can prevent infectious and toxic hazards, microbial pathogens (bacteria, viruses and parasites), chemical residues or dangerous substances from getting onto food. Investments made in sustainable food systems will result in long-term benefits for human, animal, environmental health, and the general economy.