The Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade-Cambodia to Launch Digital Campaign to Support Cambodian Quality Seal for Fish and Aquaculture Foods
- By Paid Content
- August 15, 2023 11:10 AM
PHNOM PENH, August 1st, 2023-- The U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade-Cambodia project is launching a new digital campaign to increase awareness of the important new quality seal that supports the health of Cambodian consumers of fish and other aquaculture foods.
The American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health program leads the CAST project in partnership with World Vision International in Cambodia and others. The Fisheries Administration of Cambodia’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and United Nations Industrial Development Organization will also promote the social media campaign that will last for 14 weeks starting on August 3rd.
CAST-Cambodia will host the campaign on its Facebook page to raise awareness of the important seal so fish sellers and other aquaculture suppliers can be informed of how to participate in the seal program by practicing proper hygiene in their operations to meet national and international standards. The campaign will also inform consumers about how the seal offers them a way to buy fish and fish foods that meet these standards.
This digital campaign is also endorsed by H.E. Has Sareth, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Khov Kuong, PhD who is Deputy Director of the Department of Processing Technology and Quality of the Fisheries Administration of Cambodia.
FiA is the Cambodian lead for the CQS. FiA Director of Fisheries Postharvest Technology and Quality Control Chhuon Chamnan. PhD, says “Through technical support from the EU CAPFish-Capture project, the CQS for fish and fishery products was designed as the voluntary certification scheme in order to promote the implementation of good practices, good manufacturing practices for ensuring food safety with hygiene controls applied by fish and fishery operators result in safe food products in line with national regulations and international food safety requirements, and value added for Cambodian fish and fishery products.The CQS will serve as a communication tool among key actors along fisheries value chains and provide transparency, credibility, integrity, and fairness in fishery trade towards building the confidence of consumers, protecting public health, and enhancing market access and export.”
Cambodia’s CQS program requires fish and fishery establishments to meet hygiene and sanitation standards. CQS also serves as a means of certifying the quality and safety of aquaculture products in the supply chain, from the production of raw materials to processing, distribution and sales to consumers.
“The CQS supporting tool and documents were developed through comprehensive and transparent process, which include public comments, pilot assessments, and stakeholder consultation,” added Chanman. “To maintain the credibility and integrity of our CQS scheme, only well-trained auditors will be selected to perform CQS audits. Presently, there are 14 qualified auditors who were well-trained and selected for CQS auditing, so the scheme is now ready for certification services.”
Shetty Thombathu, PhD, UNIDO Chief Technical Advisor for CAPFish-Capture project, also stresses the importance of the initiative. “Having a certification system in place is not enough, as this needs to be implemented by the private sector. The CAPFish-Capture project provided technical and equipment support to 28 eligible fish processing enterprise to upgrade their operations and food safety practices to meet CQS requirements. The FiA is currently auditing some of those enterprises for certification. Establishing a well-structured and functioning food safety system will ensure Cambodians have access to safe food that delivers good health and integrate fishery medium-and-small-sized enterprises into the regional and global value chain.”
CAST Chief of Party Jim Hershey says, “Cambodian aquaculture industry leaders are eager to offer Cambodian-raised fish that is certified as healthy and safe for Cambodian consumers, who deserve, and will get, the best! CAST has supported the food safety training and more. We are also excited to see the Cambodian Aquaculturist Association taking a leadership role too.”
Media Contact:
Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade
Ms Pich Kimthea
Email: [email protected]
Phone Number: (+855) 10 531 160
About CAST in Cambodia:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture funds CAST-Cambodia, a USDA Food for Progress project. ASA’s WISHH leads CAST to accelerate production of high-demand fish species for the Cambodian market, develop a lasting aquaculture industry and promote Cambodian-raised fish. WISHH is leveraging this USDA-funded project with soy checkoff program support of a variety of investments, such as design of custom in-pond raceway systems, aeration systems and snakehead fish feed trials.
For further information, please visit the CAST Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/CASTinCambodia
About World Vision International in Cambodia:
World Vision International in Cambodia (WVC) is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with vulnerable children, families and communities in the kingdom to overcome poverty and injustice.
For further information, please visit UNICA Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/WorldVisionCambodia
