From 26 September to 1 October 2022, the Codex Trust Fund (CTF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea, conducted a pilot training in Seoul focusing on good Codex practices and Korea’s experience in building their Codex system over the past decades.

Fifteen participants from five CTF2 beneficiary countries (Bhutan, the Gambia, Maldives, Mauritius and Nepal) took part in the training which consisted of a combination of lectures covering key aspects of Korea’s Codex system and procedures (including procedures to prepare for Codex meetings, standard setting for traditional food items, import and export related issues as the generation and use of data) as well as field visits to a yoghurt factory, a traditional food market and a laboratory linked to a food wholesale market.

Participants visit traditional food market

The objective of the pilot training was to both train participants on good Codex practices relevant to the needs of their countries and to assess the format of training for consideration as a regular training program within CTF. The workshop approach of sharing the experience of a country with an advanced Codex system has been seen as particularly practical as it allows a range of connection points relevant for the priorities of different countries.

Participants and organizers were very happy with the results of the pilot training. Presentations and field visits were pertinent to the priorities of participants and there were sufficient opportunity for an engaged group of trainees to discuss lesson material and exchange views of challenges and solutions relevant to their countries.

Laboratory field visit

Networking between country representatives was facilitated by the fact that participants had similar small country backgrounds and shared a common language. Connections made between participants during the training were kept active beyond the end of the training and resulted in an additional network of experts from different countries who will be able to count on each other’s informal advice in the future.

In order to expand on these good outcomes, the Codex Trust Fund considers holding additional trainings with the same format in the future. Following minor adjustments of the workshop structure, the Codex Trust Fund will work with MFDS and other CTF donor to offer additional experience sharing workshops for participants from different Codex regions.

Learn more

Codex Trust Fund website