Phnom penh: The Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI) and the Embassy of Singapore in Phnom Penh have initiated a five-day training course aimed at bolstering food-safety systems, enhancing agro-processing, and assisting Cambodian enterprises in producing higher-quality, export-ready products.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the 'Food Processing and Safety' course is being held from August 17 to 21 at the Cambodia-Singapore Cooperation Centre (CSCC). It gathers Cambodian officials to receive training in areas such as food-safety management, food preservation, value addition, and sustainable food production.
During the course's opening, H.E. Hem Vanndy, Minister of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation, emphasized the importance of robust food-safety systems for safeguarding public health, building consumer confidence, and enhancing the competitiveness of industries and SMEs in Cambodia. He stressed the significance of reducing post-harvest losses, adopting modern processing and packaging technologies, adhering to international standards, and promoting resource-efficient production to aid Cambodia's transition towards higher-value-added manufacturing.
H.E. Steven Pang Chee Wee, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to Cambodia, noted that the program was specifically developed to address MISTI's priorities, marking a new phase of bilateral capacity-building cooperation. He expressed hope that this would be the first of many such collaborations under the Singapore Cooperation Programme at the CSCC. The Ambassador highlighted Cambodia's abundant agricultural production as a significant opportunity for value creation through improved processing, preservation, and food-safety practices.
The training also aligns with MISTI's initiatives to reinforce Cambodia's National Quality Infrastructure, which includes standards, metrology, accreditation, and laboratory testing. It aims to assist local micro, small, and medium enterprises in enhancing product quality and accessing regional and international markets.
The CSCC, established in 2002 and upgraded in 2018, exemplifies the enduring partnership between Cambodia and Singapore. Since its inception, over 19,000 Cambodian government officials have benefited from its capacity-building programs.