(VNF) - The World Bank has approved USD45 million in additional financing for an ongoing project to boost Vietnam's livestock production and improve food safety.

This project aims to increase the production efficiency of household-based livestock producers; reduce the environmental impact of livestock production, processing and marketing; and improve food safety in livestock product supply chains.

The original project was approved on September 22nd, 2009 with the total IDA amount of USD65.26 million and USD13.77 million of counter-part fund from Vietnamese Government.

The adoption of good animal husbandry practices has helped improve livestock production and incomes for households by reducing mortality rates for pigs and poultry to raise farm output and income. It has also helped reduce fattening time for pigs and poultry and expand the size of herds and flocks to lower the costs of animal feeding, raise output and increase returns.

The project has also contributed to food safety by helping 124 small slaughterhouses improve meat safety through inspections and testing for bacteria. Additionally, it assisted 23 medium and large slaughterhouses in upgrading meat handling and selling facilities and practices to satisfy national food safety standards.

It has so far supported the upgrading of over 300 meat markets to meet sanitation and food safety standards, contributing to overall food safety out of the food value chains./.

( VNF )