The Republic of Korea boosts global food safety with US $3 million
Rome - Today, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Republic of Korea (ROK) formalised their joint commitment to bolster global food safety with the allocation of US$ 3 million towards the enhancement of global food safety.
This agreement comes at a crucial time when food systems need to transform to become more efficient, while at the same time becoming more resilient, more sustainable, and safer. Foodborne diseases claim the lives of approximately 420,000 individuals annually, with a staggering one-third of the victims being children under the age of five. Foodborne illnesses not only result in the tragic loss of human lives but also leaves over 600 million people affected by illness, all of which are largely preventable. Unsafe food also contributes to over US$ 110 billion in economic losses.
Addressing and mitigating the prevalence of foodborne diseases is not only crucial for food safety, but also imperative for achieving food security, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 “Zero hunger” and 3 “Good health and well-being”.
This new project, "Empowering low- and middle-income countries to leverage One Health to improve food safety and fair trade", builds upon a framework agreement on food safety and standard setting between FAO and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of the Republic of Korea, signed in 2021. This new investment bolsters the ongoing activities of the “Action to Support Implementation of Codex AMR (ACT)” project, another food safety project funded by the ROK. Since joining FAO as a recipient country in 1949, the Republic of Korea has transformed into a major G-20 economy and a dedicated FAO resource partner.
Reaffirming Korea’s commitment, Jaeyoung Lee, Director General of the Food and Consumer Safety Bureau of MFDS stated, “Korea is very pleased to support the project that enables countries in establishing a One Health approach to food safety.”
Recognising the intricate connections among food systems, and the health of people, plants, animals and the environment, a One Health approach is ideal to address food safety in low- and middle-income countries. This project provides investment in Mongolia, Tanzania, Uganda and Vietnam. In these countries, the project will build capacity for foodborne risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.
“This partnership exemplifies a shared commitment to global food safety and underscores the potential for positive change through international collaboration in food safety,” said Corinna Hawkes, ESF Director (FAO). “This project will not only benefit the recipient countries but also contribute to a broader agrifood system transformation, facilitating a smooth transition,” she added.
Photo ® Jaewoo Park
For more information
ACT project: https://www.fao.org/antimicrobial-resistance/projects/ongoing/project-10/en/