PROSAFE TRAINING HIGHLIGHTS GOOD HYGIENE PRACTICES

Agricultural Development and Commercialization

“Ensuring hygiene in food cuts across the complex chain of production, processing till consumption,” Mr. Sudam Pawar, Director of MI’s Innovation and Technological Connectivity Department, remarks today as he welcomes participants in the five-day regional training program on Food Hygiene and Sanitation for Food Handlers. “You have a great responsibility to ensure that actors along the chain are informed so consumers are assured of safe and clean food,” he explains as he speaks on behalf of MI Executive Director Dr. Watcharas Leelawath.  

Supported by the New Zealand Aid Programme, the course is being offered the second time since MI’s launch of its PROSAFE Project last year. Bringing together 28 key government officers, food handlers and operators and local food safety experts from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), the training will deliver key concepts on food safety hazards, proper food handling and hygiene requirements. This supports the PROSAFE Project’s broad objective of enabling better implementation of food safety standards and enhanced compliance across the CLMV.

Food safety remains a critical concern in the Mekong countries with foodborne diseases one of the leading causes of illness. In 2016, Cambodia reported some 1,000 cases of food poisoning throughout the country, while in 2014, more than one-third of 150 samples collected from food vendors in Myanmar were found positive of bacteria contamination. In Lao PDR, contaminated water used in cooking caused outbreaks of gastrointestinal diseases in Lao Prabang district.  

The training’s emphasis on Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) seeks to address these issues as it lays down the basics of food safety management systems that food handlers and food service businesses should have in place.   

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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.