Technical Assistance to Support Food Safety System in Armenia. By Mkhitar Hakobyan, Senior Food Safety Specialist

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1 Technical Assistance to Support Food Safety System in Armenia By Mkhitar Hakobyan, Senior Food Safety Specialist

2 Current Food Safety System in Armenia Armenia s agriculture sector plays a significant role in its economy, contributing to over 30% of GDP The food processing industry is one of the fastest growing industries, contributing over 10% of GDP By producing a wide variety of both crops and livestock and by being in a strategic geographical location between Europe and the Middle East, Armenia is provided opportunities for the production and export of various processed and unprocessed food products Marketing of agricultural commodities and value-added food products requires compliance with WTO, Codex Alimentarius, and other accepted international regulations and standards Development of safe and secure food supplies for domestic consumption and export trade rely on uniform food regulations that are consistently enforced by government agencies

3 Current Food Safety System in Armenia Food Safety Policy There were three government bodies with significant responsibilities for food safety: the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry Economy, and the Ministry of Health. On 30 December, 2006 (secondary Law # 1072) New State Food Safety and Veterinary Inspection Agency has been established under MOA January 2011 New State Food Safety Service was established. Includes veterinary, phytosanitary and food safety services.

4 Obstacles To Establish An Effective Food Safety System Food Safety Policy 1. Overlapping of functions of state control bodies (MOA, MOH, MOT) 2. Lack of transparency and public outreach 3. Insufficient level of legal approximation to international requirements 4. Lack of uniform interpretation of regulations 5. Lack of enforcement 6. Lack of expertise

5 Obstacles To Establish An Effective Food Safety System Food Industry 1. Inadequate physical infrastructure 2. Lack of hygienic practices: a) Poor plant facilities, inadequate design b) Limited processing equipment c) Limited laboratory capacity d) Lack of personnel hygiene items and sanitation supplies e) Lack of adequate dependable, safe water supply

6 Obstacles To Establish An Effective Food Safety System Education and Science 1. Lack of a sustainable and standardized delivery system for science-based information required for food processors to safely process food, and in some cases by regulatory agencies to meet regulatory compliance requirements

7 Project Goal Establish an effective Armenian food safety program bolstering the economy through increased demand and sale of food products within Armenia, regionally and for export, and to provide a safe and reliable food supply for the populace.

8 G o v e r n m e n t Safe Food For All We collaborate with all stakeholders Farm Inputs Kitchen & Consumption Farm Production Wholesaler or Retailer Commodity Harvest Food Service Commodity Transport Product Transport Processing Educational and Research Establishments

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10 Training and Technical Assistance a) Basic food safety trainings and certificate courses b) Farmer-level food safety trainings c) TTA program d) Establishment of PA in Armenia e) Cold Chain Engineering

11 Basic food safety trainings and certificate courses GMP and Basic Sanitation HACCP principles based on Codex Alimentarius requirements Grade A PMO ServSafe training Better Process Control School Introductory Meat and Poultry HACCP Introductory Seafood HACCP Internal Audit Exporting food products: major requirements of potential markets 3M Petrifilms for microbiological testing

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13 TTA program Elola dairy Dustr Melania cheese plant Atenk meat processing plant Linda meat processing plant Noyan cannery Arax-2 cheese plant Nicola International cannery Alishan cannery

14 Success Story: Dustr Melanya cheese plant After Before

15 Success Story: Dustr Melanya cheese plant After Before

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19 In : 1600 farmers received training SIPs for 10 farmers and Milk Collection Centers Budget: $3,000 per grantee Farm input supplies provided to 357 farmers Farmer-level food safety training

20 Establishment of PA in Armenia CARD staff received trainings in US and Armenia Equipment is purchased MOU between CARD and TechniCal

21 Establishment of PA in Armenia

22 Cold Chain Engineering Visit of Patrick Hughes, Richmond Cold Storage Co., Inc. June 2009 CARD is WFLO/GCCA member since Nov 2009 Joint project with ACDI/VOCA to invite WFLO specialists to conduct training on cold storage management

23 Strengthening in-country regulatory compliance a) Draft National Food Safety Concept b) Review of new Food Safety Law c) Round Table Discussions d) Laboratory Assessment e) Development of National HACCP Guide f) Training for SVFSI employees g) U.S. policy study tour

24 Consumer Awareness Campaign Food Safety Tips for culinary programs TV advertising (2) Training for school children Posters

25 Dissemination of science-based food safety information 1. Incorporation of FS in ASAU curriculum Meetings with vice rectors Yuri Marmaryan and Smbat Daveyan Two ASAU Workshops, August, October Development of Food Safety Information System

26 THANK YOU!!!