More than 400 participants walked in the capital of Nepal to raise awareness about food safety. Stakeholders from the government, academia, consumer forums, media, agri-food business, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) marched with banners displaying messages about food safety and food standards. The city march, followed by a high-level event in Kathmandu, was held to celebrate World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2023.

“We need to prioritize food safety not only to protect public health but also contribute to the overall well-being and development of Nepal,” said Ken Shimizu, FAO Representative for Bhutan and Nepal.

FAO Nepal, in collaboration with the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, invited government officials, representatives from international organizations, experts, and stakeholders from the food industry to discuss food safety in the country.

The Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Dr Bedu Ram Bhusal, urged everyone to work harmoniously to safeguard public health and enhance food production practices to meet international standards. He has also asked the authorities to consider suggestions from consumer forums to prioritize food security.

In her closing remarks at the main event, the Director General of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, Dr Matina Joshi Vaidya, confirmed the commitment of her Department to address food safety challenges and continue coordination with all the relevant stakeholders.

“We had enthusiastic participation from different stakeholders at the World Food Safety Day 2023 events. This was a good occasion for us to join forces to raise awareness about food safety and the importance of food standards for ensuring food security,” said Sakar Shivakoti, National ACT Project Coordinator in Nepal.

FAO Nepal, through its implementation of the “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR standards”, continues activities in promoting food safety and combatting foodborne antimicrobial resistance.

Learn more
WFSD in Nepal: World Food Day 2022: For collective actions to eradicate, hunger | FAO in Nepal | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
For more information about the ACT project, please visit: https://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/projects/ongoing/project-10/en/

Photo @ FAO/Nepal/Suman Giri
Caption: 7 June 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal – City march to raise awareness on food safety