A collaboration agreement between Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Safe Food for Growth Project (SAFEGRO), will help to develop safe and sustainable agri-food value chains in Hanoi.

At the signing ceremony. Source: Canadian Embassy in Vietnam

The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department together with the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development on August 11 held a signing ceremony and kicked off the implementation of the coordination plan "Support Hanoi in building and developing sustainable agro-forestry-fishery value chains".

SAFEGRO is a 5-year $13.5 million technical assistance project supported by the Government of Canada that aims to improve food safety in Vietnam by improving the performance of central and local governments in enforcing food safety regulations; increasing the competitiveness of Vietnamese agricultural products domestically and internationally; and empowering consumers to increase demand for safe and affordable agri-food in Vietnam.

Hoang Thai Ninh, SAFEGRO project manager said that the goal of the coordinated plan is to assist Hanoi in building and developing a number of sustainable agricultural, forestry and aquatic value chains. Since then, contributing to the effective implementation of the program of coordination to ensure food safety, improve the quality of agriculture, forestry and fishery, and trade between Hanoi and other provinces in the 2022-2025 period.

The plan aims to support the construction and development of a number of sustainable agricultural, forestry and fishery value chains (expected from 7-8 chains); building brands, organizing communication, connecting and promoting some products of the chain; improving the capacity of food safety quality managers for Hanoi and the provinces and cities associated with the program implementation.

The elements of gender equality, women, the young generation, and poor farmers will be concerned and integrated in the implementation contents. This will be a driving factor to create changes in the construction and development of sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishery value chains.

Brian Allemekinders, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Canada to Vietnam, said the project not only solves food safety issues but also helps to improve and enhance people's livelihoods and health, contributing to increase the commercial value of Vietnamese agricultural products. Photo: nongnghiep.vn

According to Brian Allemekinders, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Canada to Vietnam, SAFEGRO is a project funded by the Government of Canada and the results will be used by the Government of Vietnam.

Allemekinders expressed his belief that both the Government of Canada and the Government of Vietnam are committed to promoting gender equality by considering it a cross-cutting issue. Therefore, gender equality will be mainstreamed in all project activities regardless of location.

In addition, the project is important not only in terms of food safety for development, but also in helping to improve and enhance the livelihoods and health of people in Hanoi and other provinces. In addition, the project will contribute to enhancing the commercial value of Vietnamese agricultural products in the international arena, especially in the context that Vietnam has signed multilateral and bilateral trade agreements with countries around the world, including Canada.

Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of the Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Management Department, who is also Deputy Head of the Project Steering Committee, expects the project will achieve unexpected successes; ensuring food safety for domestic consumers and for export, creating sustainable livelihoods for people.

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