The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has partnered with Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Health to enhance food safety and quality standards across the country’s food and agriculture sector. The initiative aims to address the risks posed by unsafe food, which contribute to an estimated 600mn cases of foodborne illnesses worldwide each year.
The new project was officially launched on February 14 at an inception workshop in Bishkek, bringing together representatives from key ministries, academia, the scientific community, food producers, and food safety experts.
“Ensuring food safety is not only a public health priority but also an important step towards achieving food security and nutrition,” said Oleg Guchgeldiyev, FAO Representative in Kyrgyzstan.
He emphasized that strong food safety systems not only protect public health but also stimulate economic growth by improving access to domestic, regional, and international markets.
A key focus of the project is strengthening the capacity of the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision under the Ministry of Health. Department staff will receive training in modern food safety standards, including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), Good Hygiene Practices (GHP), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). These measures will be applied across food production, storage, and retail sectors.
Building on previous FAO initiatives, which trained over 1,500 farmers and employees of 37 food processing enterprises, the new project will further enhance food safety protocols. Businesses that adopted these standards have been able to implement better risk assessment and quality control measures in fruit and vegetable production.
Mary Kenny, FAO Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer, highlighted the broader economic implications of food safety, stating, “Safe food contributes to national economic development, trade, and tourism, promotes food security and nutrition, and is one of the factors of sustainable development.”
Kyrgyzstan, as a member of several international organizations, has committed to implementing food safety systems such as HACCP. However, regulatory challenges remain, particularly in providing clear guidelines to businesses and ensuring compliance. The FAO-supported project aims to address these gaps and strengthen oversight mechanisms.
Workshop participants expressed optimism that the project would reinforce food safety as a national priority, boosting consumer confidence and supporting economic growth. The initiative marks a significant step toward improving food safety standards in Kyrgyzstan and ensuring a healthier, more secure food supply for the country.
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