– In your opinion, what foods should be kept in the refrigerator door?

– What needs to be “separated” during cooking preparation?

Who knows? raise your hand! Whoever answers correctly will get a gift!

The whole schoolyard burst into joy. The arms were raised: me, me. I know the answer!

The bustling scene just took place during the flag-raising session the Monday morning this week, at Van Duc Secondary School, Gia Lam, Hanoi.

On September 18, 2023, more than 600 pupils and teachers joined Dr. Phan Thi Phuong Thao, Project Manager of Safe Food for Growth (SAFEGRO) to interact, discuss and answer fun quizzes about food safety.

Dr. Thao introduced the pupils to the basic principles of food safety. She cited activities relevant to pupils, such as washing hands, storing items in the refrigerator, and identifying signs of properly cooked meat and fish. The information was presented not in a rigid lecture format, but rather explained using simple language. This was combined with easy-to-remember phrases written on maple leaf-shaped handouts (maple leaf is the symbol of Canada), and interactive quiz questions with rewards.

Previously, the teachers had sent the pupils reference documents on food safety (brief lectures, information in the form of stories, videos…) provided by SAFEGRO. The pupils had time to study and learn about the topic. Many pupils answered the questions correctly. Some pupils hadn’t had time to read or watch the animated video about bacteria (video link). When they heard their friends repeat the short and easy-to-remember principles, they also memorized them.

“Because the refrigerator door has an unstable temperature and is easily contaminated with microorganisms from the outside (when opening and closing the refrigerator), we should only store eggs and other foods in sealed bottles” – Phuong, pupil Class 8b answered confidently. The whole schoolyard echoed with applause.

To ensure that pupils have time to remember, think through, and completely change their habits and practices about food safety, after 10 days, the school also organized a competition to learn about food hygiene and safety. There are separate designs for different grade levels: Grades 6 and 7 compete in painting, Grade 8 compete in skits, Grade 9 compete in ringing the golden bell.

In collaboration with the SAFEGRO Project, the school management board identified the most impactful pictures and engaging skits. The chosen items were exhibited and disseminated to parents via parent-teacher groups.

“We greatly appreciate the cooperation of the SAFEGRO project. I hope that pupils will always remember and practice these principles,” said Mr. Dang Minh Huy, principal of Van Duc Secondary School.

The SAFEGRO project respectfully presented the school with a poster stating five food safety principles, as recommended by the World Health Organization: Keep clean; Separate raw and cooked foods; Cook thoroughly; Keep food at safe temperatures; and Use safe water and raw materials. The poster will be positioned in the hallway, a location often visited by pupils, to ensure the message is seen multiple times and improve memory retention.

This food safety education series is a part of the gender responsive food safety community model being supported by SAFEGRO in Van Duc commune.

In total, nearly 2,000 children, teachers, and parents in all schools in Van Duc commune, the Van Duc kindergarten, Van Duc primary and Van Duc secondary schools, have taken part in Safegro’s activities in Van Duc, and their goods will spread the message even further.

Through it, SAFEGRO hopes that all pupils and teachers will become pioneers by raising their own awareness and advocating for food safety within their families and communities. By doing so, they contribute to a healthy and sustainable community.

The SAFEGRO project receives financial support from the Global Affairs Canada. It is executed in collaboration with Alinea International, the University of Guelph, and three Vietnamese ministries: the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

In a normal evening, while Phuong was playing with her toys in the living room, her parents came back home after a long working day with a box of fresh guava.

When Phuong saw the box, her eyes sparkled with joy. “Mommy, can I wash them?” she asked eagerly.

Her mom was stunned. She looked at her husband. He was also speechless. They both turned to their parents, who were in the kitchen preparing dinner. They also heard Phuong’s request and came out to see what was going on. They saw their granddaughter standing with the box of guava in her arms, ready to wash them.

They couldn’t believe their eyes. Phuong was their only child, their only grandchild. They gave her everything she wanted, and they did everything for her. They even spoon-fed her sometimes, even though she was four years old and could eat by herself.

But that evening, something changed. Phuong did not eat the fruit right away but washed it herself first. Phuong followed the correct steps to ensure food safety. She smiled as she felt the water splash on her face and hands.

Phuong had participated in the food safety lessons that the Safe Food for Growth project (SAFEGRO) organized for 336 children (190 boys and 146 girls) in 11 classes at Van Duc Kindergarten. SAFEGRO is a project funded by Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the University of Guelph and MARD, MOH, and MOIT of Viet Nam.

Over 10 days the children learned about the basic principles of food safety and common practices such as handwashing, separating and cleaning food, and how to arrange food in the fridge. Students’ parents were also encouraged to practice with them at home.

When Phuong asked about washing the guava, her mom’s phone notified a message of Phuong’s teacher: ‘Our class has learnt about washing fruits today. I would suggest that parents support them to practice at home’.

The output survey results with children who participated in the program show that more than 80% of children have the 4 basic principles of food hygiene and safety (washing, separating, cooking and cooling), an increase of 20% compared to the initial survey. More than 90% of children correctly practice basic hygiene steps to ensure food safety, such as washing hands, washing fruit, cleaning the dining table, arranging food and preserving food in the refrigerator, an increase of more than 20%. In addition, 22 teachers and nearly 70% of parents of 336 children who participated in the pilot program actively participated in the program and improved their knowledge of hygiene and food safety.

“Participating in the program and teaching the kids made me change my own behavior. I became more careful about storing food in the fridge properly and safely. These practices are very common, but I used to ignore them. Now I think they are very good to follow and share.” Thuy Dzung, Van Duc Kindergarten teacher, said.

In order to maintain the good results, the school board of management intends to integrate the food safety theme into the current curriculum. The school topics for October and November are family and selfcare, which match well with the food safety theme.

A video about food safety is playing for the kids in Van Duc. To watch the video, click on the picture.

Ms. Dao Phuong Lan, Vice Principal of Van Duc Kindergarten, spoke at the meeting to evaluate the results of the implementation of the food safety education program.

The school board of management intends to integrate the food safety theme into the current curriculum.

On a larger scale, SAFEGRO plans to work with the Gia Lam district Bureau of education and training to apply the food safety education program in other schools in the district and, possibly, other schools in Hanoi. In the long run, SAFEGRO expects to work with the ministry of education and training (MOET) for the national application of food safety in kindergarten’s and, eventually, middle schools.

This food safety education program is a part of the gender responsive food safety community model being supported by SAFEGRO in Van Duc commune.

Brian G. Bedard, Director, Food Safety and Animal Health, Alinea International said: “Beside the kindergarten, SAFEGRO hopes to work with farmers, cooperatives, and local markets to engage with key value chain players and the entire community to raise awareness about food safety, change food safety behavior and promote food safety culture towards better public health outcomes”.

Phuong’s story of washing guava inspires the entire SAFEGRO team to hope that she and all children will practice food safety every day, contributing to the development of a robust food safety culture for a healthier Vietnam.

* The character’s name has been changed in accordance with the child protection policy.

The consumer survey employs both quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires are designed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of consumers, while semi-structured interviews such as focus group discussions and case studies are used to explore the reasons, barriers, and incentives for food safety behavior.

Some initial interviews in Bac Hong reveal diverse views of customers on food safety, such as their trust, affordability, and demand. They also prefer different types of information and channels to receive them.

The survey is carried out in cooperation with the national Institute of Nutrition, a research institution that studies and proposes measures for nutrition and health for Viet Nam. SAFEGRO aims to share the findings of the survey this year and collaborate with relevant partners to promote food safety and food safety culture in Vietnam for sustainable development.

SAFEGRO funded by the Canadian government of CAD 15.0 million is being implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the University of Guelph in the two largest residential areas of Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in 5 years 2021-2025. SAFEGRO works towards the goal that consumers in Vietnam can consume food with guaranteed quality and safety following international standards at affordable prices.

Dr. Phan Thi Phuong Thao

SAFEGRO project manager

The training took place at Yersin University’s Hall in Lam Dong with 100 in-person and hundreds of online attendees from Youth Unions nationwide. The Rural Youth Committee – Central Union’s fanpage got hundreds of likes, shares, and nearly 500 comments from union members, young entrepreneurs, and cooperative and business directors.

Through the training, Dr. Thao shared information about the system of regulatory agencies and legal documents on food safety management in Vietnam. The lecturer also provided information on the food safety management system in the world, especially Canada – a country with very strict and systematic regulations on food safety.

Dr. Thao taught union members about food safety culture for the first time. She explained what it means and how it can improve food safety awareness and behavior in society.

The concept of food safety culture was discussed in a national workshop organized by the SAFEGRO project in collaboration with the Central Propaganda Department and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Besides, the training covered food safety and hygiene regulations and preservation principles for food processing and trading businesses.

Through the training, youth union members from all over the country learned about food safety management in Vietnam. They gained basic knowledge, information, and advantages of ensuring food safety for themselves and the community.

And most importantly, young people understand their role in promoting food safety culture with the community for Vietnam’s sustainable development.

The result will be used to develop a guideline for food safety practice (or standard operation procedure – SOP) with the aim of applying in school’s kitchen in Ha Noi. This SOP would contribute to increasing food safety in the capital of Viet Nam.

The SAFEGRO project, funded by Canada’s International Development – Global Affairs Canada and implemented by Alinea aims to ensure that people in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh cities can consume food with guaranteed quality and safety following international standards at affordable prices.

Signing ceremony to support selected vegetable and pork value chains in Ha Noi

On 26/7/2023 in Hanoi, the project ‘Food Safety for Development’ (SAFEGRO) in collaboration with the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development (MARD) held the Signing ceremony to support selected vegetable and pork value chains in Hanoi to upgrade the agri-food chain, towards the goal that consumers in Hanoi and Vietnam can have access to food verifiable with quality and safety following international best practices. 

Opening speech during the signing ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director General of the Department of Quality, Processing and Market Development said: “The project’s difference is the participation of the entire community ecosystem. Implementation activities will be diversified and richly designed to suit each audience to raise awareness, change behavior about food safety, and promote food safety culture in production and food consumption”. 

Within the framework of the signed cooperation, farmers in the agri-food chain will be supported through training courses and seminars on modern, sustainable, and innovative farming techniques, especially in the context of climate change. 

Van Duc Cooperatives (Gia Lam district) and Hoang Long (Thanh Oai district) will be supported with some technology for food safety management and improvement. The project will also support cooperatives to digitize production planning and management systems, and traceability. Moreover, SAFEGRO also supports the cooperatives to develop regulations and establish community monitoring groups, composed of good farmers, to supervise, manage and guide farmers to produce, handle and process food safely, in accordance with the regulations of quality management systems such as VietGAP, HACCP and accepted international best practice. 

Kindergartens, primary and secondary schools in Van Duc commune (Gia Lam district) will also participate in a Gender responsive food safety education program.  

By integrating food safety content into extra-curricular programs of all levels, as well as consumer communication, engaging actors in all stages of the value chain, SAFEGRO aims to raise awareness about food safety, change food safety behavior, promote food safety culture in food production and processing, small food businesses and consumers, especially young people and women. 

For Kim Quan and Thuong Thanh traditional markets (Long Bien district), meat and vegetable vendors will be supported with training and essential tools for ensuring food safety. The market management board will be introduced to internationally recognized food safety management best practice and exposed to innovations and technology to support social and behavioral change communication for vendors and consumers. 

Through training courses, the market management board will also improve their capacity to supervise and manage the market to ensure food hygiene and safety and develop plans for revitalizing these informal markets. 

The signing ceremony demonstrated the commitment of the parties to improvements in the agri-food chain, vegetables, and meat. 

Mrs. Hong Xiem, Kim Quan Market Management Board said: “We are committed to actively participating in SAFEGRO’s activities. With the knowledge and skills acquired by the project, we will carefully monitor the implementation of food safety in our area”. 

Ms. Phan Thi Phuong Thao, Project Manager of SAFEGRO said: “Beside the above supports, we also focus on digital transformation, supporting people to have more knowledge and tools to reach more customers, as well as building sustainable brand name. In addition, we will also integrate gender in all project activities. Women and girls are always at the heart of our project. 

Through the SAFEGRO project, we aim to improve Vietnamese people’s access to safe, affordable, and competitive agricultural products, thereby helping to improve the well-being of Vietnamese consumers.” 

SAFEGRO funded by the Canadian government of CAD 15.0 million is being implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the University of Guelph in the two largest residential areas of Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in 5 years 2021-2025. 

Pictures of the Signing ceremony

On 20/7/2023 in Hanoi, the project ‘Safe Food for Growth Project’ (SAFEGRO) has a good discussion with the National Numbering and Barcodes Center and Van Duc Cooperative for a landscape view about the current practice and potentiality of traceability for Van Duc vegetable value chain.

Van Duc Cooperative has experimented with electronic field diaries, but there are still many shortcomings, and they cannot be massively deployed. Technology applications cannot be deployed on different platforms, farmers’ access to information technology is limited, and information linkage among actors in the value chain is still not feasible.

Within the framework of the project, SAFEGRO will work with NBC to select user-friendly traceability software that can be applied, providing a complete and up-to-date picture of information in real-time on product production, processing, and distribution.

SAFEGRO funded by the Canadian government of CAD 15.0 million is being implemented by Alinea International in collaboration with the University of Guelph in the two largest residential areas of Vietnam, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in 5 years 2021-2025. SAFEGRO works towards the goal that consumers in Vietnam can consume food with guaranteed quality and safety following international standards at affordable prices.

From 08/2022 to 03/2023, with the support of SAFEGRO Project, funded by the Global Affairs Canada, the traceability working group with 01 Canadian and 02 Vietnamese experts, have reviewed Vietnamese regulations, conducted the survey of the current situation at the production and business establishments in the supply chain of fruits, vegetables and pork in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. The group also have worked with relevant agencies and organizations and consulted with relevant parties. The results are following that:

The regulations on traceability are clearly stated in the Food Safety Law, the Livestock Law, the Law on Veterinary Medicine, the Law on Fisheries, and are specified in Decree 15/2018/ND-CP, Circular 23/2018/TT-BYT, Circular 25/2019/TT-BYT of the Ministry of Health and Circular No.17/2021/TT-BNNPTNT of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Government also issued Decision No. 100/QD-TTg approving the project of implementing the national traceability system with inter-ministerial and local cooperation, whereby all traceability portals/solutions in regulatory agencies and the private sector must be connected to the national portal. However, to make people able to research and apply themselves, we should have more specific and detailed instructions for each type of facility in the supply chain of the competent authority.

Regarding the application of traceability: In general, traceability in Ho Chi Minh City is better than in Hanoi, there are a few companies that perform very well, mainly are big companies and supermarkets, including the application of digital traceability. In contrast, at wholesale markets and retailed markets, traceability is still limited, there are many products sold at the market that cannot be traced, most establishments apply manual traceability. The high-level findings are summarized as follows:

– Lack of the need for traceability from consumers, the supplier sees traceability as unnecessary additional costs.

– Vegetables and fruits from China are labeled in Chinese, without sub-labels, some markets do not have information about the type and origin of products, and goods are still stored in unlabeled temporary containers;

– People and employees in the food production and business chain, lack knowledge of traceability and lack skills to update information on digital traceability.

– For the pork chain, the traceability has not been applied at all stages (only access to the stage of slicing). For the vegetable chain, traceability has been applied at certain stages such as preliminary processing and packaging before being put into the modern retail system.

– There are many providers of traceability technology solutions (Vietel, check.vn, TEE Food…) causing difficulties for users because they have to use many different application and software to check information.

With the above gaps, to improve the traceability situation, the team proposes:

• For government agencies:

– Strengthening the dissemination of regulations on traceability, then organizing inspection and testing, the implementation of traceability at all stages in the value chains;

– Develop programs and projects to promote training on traceability knowledge both directly and online for all relevant stakeholders; There should be specific and detailed guidelines for each type of establishment in the food supply chains;

– Supplement regulations on standardization of information provision for traceability. It help traceability technology solution providers can share, connect and communicate for end-to-end traceability throughout the supply chain.

• For SAFEGRO Project:

– Organize training on knowledge of traceability, skills in information technology application to implement digital traceability for establishments in the selected value chain;

– Guidance on applying traceability to the establishment’s products in the selected value chain. It is advisable to build a Practical Handbook or an online learning platform that provides simple and easy guideline to practice;

– Evaluate and improve guidelines for replication to other value chains

Gender equality means that all people, including men and women, have equal positions and roles, and are given conditions and opportunities to develop their capacities. They can make choices or decisions on their initiative without being constrained by stereotypes, stereotypes, and rigid gender roles. SAFEGRO’s Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Strategy is committed to creating equal opportunities for all participants and beneficiaries of the Project.

During gender-based value chain survey of vegetable in Hanoi, the project had the opportunity to learn more deeply about the gender roles of men and women in each step of the value chain. Women play an important role in agri-food value chains, from production and processing to distribution and consumption. In the survey areas, in addition to production roles, women are carrying the burden of housework. Women are still expected to have the main role in taking care of both family members and housework.

In the interview, Ms. N.T.H shared that she is the only one person in charge of all the housework (such as taking care of the children, cleaning, cooking for the whole family). Her working time is on average 14 hours/day, from 5 am to 12 pm at night. , and no lunch break. Her husband’s average working time is 11 hours/day, from 7 am to 12 pm, with at least 1 hour lunch break.

She also shared that: “I don’t know what gender equality is. I only know that since the day I got married, I have never been supported at least to wash dish for 30 years. Looking around the neighbors, most of the housework is taken by women. I think housework is not just for men or women. Housework is for both. So, if the Project does anything, I think that the communication for housework should be shared for both men and women. We’re so tired. Sometimes he went home when it was messy, he yelled me immediately, he asked me what I did at home, I said, I work the same with you, who else do you yell at? In conclusion, just bring communicating about GE to men.”

Ms. H’s story is similar with many other rural women. Nowadays, women are playing the dual role: Both participating in production and take the main responsibility of the housework. Gender equality, according to Ms. H’s concept, is probably not something sublime or “hating men”, as people think. Gender equality does not mean that women and men will become the same but that women’s and men’s rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female.

Founded in 1901, the British Standards Institute (BSI) is the first organization in the world to issue national standards and is a founder member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) which operates in many fields such as: environment, energy, food, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing; with more than 84,000 customers in 193 countries. BSI not only provides certification activities in Vietnam, but also has a system of experts with experiences in the training and evaluation of management systems according to national and international standards.

The meeting aimed to discuss the process of assessment and certification of food safety management systems, focusing on VietGAP/VietGAHP, HACCP and ISO 22000 standards for the main force agricultural products. Simultaneously, the SAFEGRO Project and BSI’s experts also discussed about training programs and models, practical activities that can be applied and implemented within the SAFEGRO’s framework.