Enhancing Safety in Food Processing Enterprises in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan
In order to realize the considerable potential of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the production and export of processed food (milk, dairy and meat products, fruit and vegetables), it is necessary to improve the compliance with hygiene and sanitary requirements in these countries’ food processing enterprises, and enhance food safety management processes. This involves increasing government awareness on modern food safety management systems and strengthening capacity for food safety at the food enterprise level. Therefore, the project aimed to enable the target countries to comply with international requirements for hygiene and manufacturing practices, through the provision of technical support to elaborate and implement a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)-based food safety management system at one pilot enterprise in Kyrgyzstan; the elaboration of national guides on good hygiene practices in Tajikistan; and a series of training of trainers and of national experts in both countries, and a study tour to food enterprises in Turkey.
What did the project do
The project strengthened the capacities of government officials, national authorities and other relevant target groups in the elaboration and implementation of modern food safety management systems; as well as increasing the enforcement capacity of competent authorities. As a result of the project interventions, food safety management systems in accordance with Codex standards and specific requirements of the International Organization for Standardization were implemented and certified at one pilot enterprise in Kyrgyzstan. This enterprise increased their competitiveness in regional and international markets, as well as offering demonstration areas for other emerging and developing food businesses. The trained national experts provided further support to implement and certify an HACCP-based food safety management system beyond the project to ten other enterprises, proving the project sustainability. In Tajikistan, four food subsectors benefited from national guides developed on good hygiene practices (GHP) and training of the respective staff.Impact
The project contributed to reducing food safety risks in the beneficiary countries from processed food aimed both for domestic and foreign markets, and to the advancement of further eradication of extreme poverty and hunger and sustainable development.Activities
- Training courses organized on good agricultural practices, good manufacturing practices (GMP), GHP and HACCP for representatives of food safety competent authorities, stakeholders from small enterprises, officials of ministries of agriculture, health, economy, representatives of certification bodies, academia and food producers’ associations, national experts and representatives of the private food processing sector.
- National guides on GMP, GHP, and the application of HACCP principles to develop food safety management systems and HACCP plans produced; and workshops on their utilization carried out in both countries.
- National guides on GHP and HACCP principles for four food subsectors developed in Tajikistan (the production and processing of milk and dairy products, the preservation of fruit and vegetables, flour products and confectionery, and public catering enterprises).
- Technical study visit to food enterprises in Turkey applying HACCP-based food safety management systems organized for five participants from the two beneficiary countries.
- A selected private enterprise in Kyrgyzstan served as a demonstration plot for the elaboration and implementation of HACCP plans.
- A set of documented procedures and templates of records related to the implementation of HACCP-based food safety management system was elaborated, implemented and certified in the pilot enterprise