Date: 14-15 November 2023 Bangkok, Thailand

Mekong Institute (MI) and the New Zealand Aid Programme’s (NZAP) commitment to promoting a food safety culture in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV) began in 2015 with the launch of the Mekong Institute Food Safety Capability Activity (MIFSCA). The Project aimed to provide training and support services on food safety for local governments, small and medium enterprises, and research/academic institutions in these four countries.

In June 2018, the second phase of the Project was launched and re-branded as PROSAFE: Promoting Safe Food for Everyone. This Phase II of the initiative sought to further strengthen technical support and scale-up regional and local capacity-building initiatives in food safety through a coordinated approach to knowledge and skills development.

In the course of its run, PROSAFE has built on the key features of the first phase, mainly the offering of a series of safe food courses to advance food safety knowledge along the supply chain; engaging public and private sectors; addressing country-identified training needs; delivering planned outreach to support the application of knowledge and skills; and tapping into New Zealand and regional food safety expertise.

As the Project nears its close, this meeting provides an opportunity for key stakeholders and partners to discuss the milestones and key accomplishments of the PROSAFE initiative vis-a-vis its intended outcomes. More importantly, it is envisaged to open further discussions on how to sustain the gains of the Project, its potential for scalability and replicability, as well as the prospects and directions for future partnership and collaboration between MI, NZAP and partners in CLMV.

The event seeks to:

• Present the progress and impacts of the PROSAFE Project toward strengthening the food safety agenda in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam;
• Encourage forward dialogue on scalability and replication, drawing upon lessons learned and good practice in the Project’s implementation; and
• Open pathways for discussion on policy directions and future sectoral partnerships and collaborations that leverage the Project’s accomplishments and gains.

Participants will be spearheaded by the MI PROSAFE Project Team, key representatives from NZAP, key implementing partners from CLMV, along with selected PROSAFE alumni from the public, private, and academic sectors.

The study tour seeks to provide participants with insights into the food safety control system in Thailand.

For over 20 years, Central Laboratory (Thailand) Company Limited (CLT) has been a symbol of dedication to food safety. Since starting on June 17, 2003, CLT has become a stronghold of quality and precision in food safety. It’s accredited with the respected ISO/IEC 17025 international standard. CLT certifies more than 1,000 lab tests and analyzes over 400,000 samples every year. It’s also recognized with ISO 29993 for learning services, ISO/IEC 17043 for proficiency testing, ISO/IEC 17065, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 for Certification Bodies (CB) by the National Bureau of Agricultural Commodity and Food Standards. CLT has 6 branches covering all the country regions, including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Chachoengsao, Samut Sakhon, Songkhla and Bangkok.

CLT is not only able to provide standard product analysis services for exporters, entrepreneurs, agribusinesses, SMEs, OTOP and community enterprises but support to the policy transfer from the governmental agency as well such as the Department of Fisheries, Thai Industrial Standards Institute Excise Department and Rice Department.

Hence, the services include:

• Laboratory testing
• Certification and inspection
• Calibration laboratory
• Indoor air quality service in building Learning service producer service according to the international standard of ISO 29993
• Academic in-house training
• Proficiency testing provider service according to the international standard of ISO/IEC 17043
• Internal auditor
• Standard consultant (for establishing lab oratory testing standard and environmental and quality management system)

CLT’s impressive achievements include being the only Thai company to pass the Pesticide Residue Test for Specific Crops for Export in 2016. This remarkable feat puts CLT among just five companies in all of Asia, covering China, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Central Laboratory (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
2179 Phaholyothin Rd., Ladyao, Jatujak, Bangkok 10900 Tel: +66 2940 5993 / +66 2940 6881-3
Fax: +66 2940 6881-3 Ext. 100 / +66 2940 6668
https://www.centrallabthai.com/index.php/en/about-us/id-2