MI KICKS OFF PROSAFE 2020 WITH RISK COMMUNICATION TRAINING

Agricultural Development and Commercialization

Twenty-four participants from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam are in Mekong Institute this week for the Regional Training Program on Food Safety Risk Communication. This five-day safe food course is the first in a series of training programs this year under the New Zealand Aid Programme-funded PROSAFE Project: Promoting Safe Food for Everyone.  

In her opening remarks, Ms. Maria Theresa Medialdia, Director of the Agricultural Development and Commercialization Department, enjoined participants to reflect on the collective roles and responsibilities of government officers, food business owners, the media, consumers, among others, in disseminating information on safe food handling, preparation, and consumption practices. “Raising public awareness increases understanding that safe food is in everyone’s interest because it protects public health and social well-being, as well as improves livelihood by promoting access to markets,” she emphasized.

Representing different local food safety agencies, universities, and consumer organizations in the region, participants will interact with regional experts and learn about the principles of effective risk communication, an important component of national food safety control systems to manage public health risks and hazards. The course also targets to build participants’ skills in engaging consumers and raising public awareness on the value of safer fresh produce. Aside from lectures and interactive group exercises, the course will also feature structured learning visits to GAP-certified farms, packinghouses, and fresh produce market in Khon Kaen.

This training program is among the eight PROSAFE courses that will be offered in 2020. Previous courses on postharvest safe food handling, food safety emergency management, agro-product packaging and labeling, and food hygiene and sanitation will be organized again this year. New programs on risk-based approaches in managing food safety, improving food safety quality infrastructure for market access, and regulating food additives and preservatives are slated to be launched later this year.  

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Mrs. Guohua Liu

Director, Sustainable Energy & Environment (SEE) Department

Mrs. Liu Guohua is the Director of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Department at the Mekong Institute. Prior to this role, she worked in the Department of International Economic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, where she played a key role in shaping and implementing China’s cooperation strategies with UN development agencies. During this time, Mrs. Liu was actively involved in advancing initiatives related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on climate change and green development. Additionally, she contributed to the evaluation of projects funded by various Chinese initiatives, such as the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund, etc.

In addition to her work in the Department of International Economic Affairs, Mrs. Liu has an extensive diplomatic background. She spent 7 years in the Department of African Affairs, followed by a 4-year tenure at the Chinese Embassy in Lao PDR, where she gained deep expertise in both Southeast Asian and African affairs. These diverse experiences have played a crucial role in shaping her approach to sustainable development and international collaboration, particularly in building regional partnerships and tackling global challenges like climate change.

She holds a Master’s degree in Economics, with a specialization in Finance, from the Central University of Finance and Economics, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Economics and Trade, from the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.