Supporting Agriculture and Health Ministries to implement a national food safety policy based on

risk-based approaches Nguyen Viet Hung and Ma. Lucila Lapar

Hanoi School of Public Health and ILRI

Workshop on Approaches and Methods for Policy Process ResearchIFPRI-Washington, DC, 18-20 November 2013

Outline

Policy environment

Methods and approaches

Case study of risk assessment

taskforce

Lessons learned and challenges

2ILRI

The policy environment

Ordinance on Hygiene and Safety of Food enforced in 2003, Ministry of Health Main focus: food contamination and outbreaks

Vietnam Food Safety and Agricultural Health Action Plan (2006), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Main goals: reduce food-related health impacts, increase exports

of high value products, improve agricultural health, ensure effective coordination of WTO SPS commitments

Strategic priorities: improve coordination among key agencies; strengthen risk analysis capacity

Law on quality of goods and products (2008) Emphasis on responsibility of producers and retailersILRI

The policy environment

The policy environment

Livestock Development Strategy to 2020 (2008, updated in 2010, MARD Underscores importance of food safety issues in livestock

Food Safety Law (2011) Mandates assured food safety in both domestic and export

products (meat, fish, fruits, vegetables)

Delegates three leading bodies responsible for food safety: MOH, MARD, Ministry of Industry and Trade

Restructuring of the Agricultural Sector Plan (2013) Improving value added of agricultural products through improved

food safety, among others.

ILRI

The policy environment

Research and Policy in Development Framework

Identifies four core components affecting policy making

Source: Crewe and Young, 2002ILRI

Methods and approaches

Risk analysis approach Introducing concepts of risks vs. hazards

Developing and/or strengthening national capacity

Application in research design and implementation

Outcome mapping approach Mapping a pathway to desired food safety outcomes

Identifying strategic partners and actions that will deliver policy outcomes for effective risk management

Participatory risk assessment Generating evidence to inform policymaking

Appropriate to research on informal marketsILRI

Key Actors in the Policymaking Process in Vietnam

ILRIINTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Broad Issue Definition

Politburo, Central Committee, National Assembly

(Sub) Sector Agenda Setting MARD/Vice-Minister for

Livestock

Formulation DLP, DAH, NIVR

Adoption DLP, DAH, PPD, FD, MF, MPI, Relevant Min.s, PMХs Office

Implementation DARDs

Evaluation DARDs, IPSARD, NIAH, NIVR

Advocacy Strategy Increase policy dialogue among all key

stakeholders. Support available capacity while

encouraging capacity development. Identify, support and develop a coalition for

change. Promote longevity of project findings. Ensure broad but targeted dissemination of

project materials. Ensure advocacy does not directly oppose

current sector direction. Ensure dynamic strategy which adapts to an

evolving political context.

ILRIINTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE

9

TASKFORCE OF RISK ASSESSMENT FOR FOOD SAFETY IN VIETNAM: LINKING SCIENCE TO POLICY TO INCREASE FOOD SAFETY

Case study

ILRI

Enabling environment and demand for risk assessment

Law of Food Safety (in effect since 7.2011)

Decision of Primer Minister 3.2013“Rapid detection system for food safety and risk analysis”

Circular of MARD 5.2013 “RA in food safety management”ILRI

Partnership, demand creation, mutual understanding

Research PolicyFood

Safety

ILRI

Taskforce: Risk assessment for food safety

Lack of local capacity in practical application of risk assessment (RA). The situation is especially urgent in Vietnam’s informal markets, where most domestically produced food is bought and sold. RA is rarely applied in these settings.

Task Force: brings together representatives from Vietnam’s Ministry of Health, its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and researchers involved in RA and food safety from key universities and research institutes.

The Task Force is developing guidelines for use of RA on behalf of food safety management in informal markets catering to local consumers. These guidelines will be used to train a wide range of decision-makers, including high-level policymakers

ILRI

FIRST WORSHOP OF RISK ASSESSMENT EXPERT FOR FOOD SAFETY

Hanoi, 30 December – 2011

- No follow–up from MOH and WHO- CENPHER wanted to take this upILRI

ILRI

Taskforce compositionFood safety risk assessment experts from Universities, research institutes, policy makers from MOH and MARD:Academia

– HSPH, HUA– NIHE, NIN, NIVR (North), HIPHH, Pasteur Institute (South)– Food safety program (CIDA, LIFSAP)

Policy makers– Food Safety Administration (VFA)– Department of Science, Training and Technology– Department of Animal Health (DAH)– National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD)– Department of Livestock Development (MARD)

Provate (consultancy – to be included)– Consumption – Other value chain actors

Close collaboration between science and policy

Taskforce works on “case studies” on risk assessment of food commodities prioritized by policy makers and developILRI

Taskforce activities Situational analysis of food safety policy in Vietnam and use of

evidence from research to inform policy

Forming a taskforce of risk assessment in Vietnam

Special issue of risk assessment in health research in Vietnam

Kick-off workshop to define activities and priority issues

Case studies and risk assessment guideline development

Trainings and follow-up

Communication

ILRI

First meeting 8.2013

ILRI

Administrative structure of the taskforce as envisioned

Become a technical team of the inter-ministerial committee of food safety risk assessment highly and officially solicited by policy makers

Mobilizing funding from the government in future

Backup from international partners

Independence vs. dependence of risk managers

ILRI

Outputs, communication, trainings Special edition of Risk assessment in

Vietnamese Manuals Policy brief Trainings

Outputs/Outcomes, communication, trainings

Training on advanced RA for the taskforce by ILRI– In Hanoi in August 2013

Training on RA requested by MARD– In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city in November 2013

Case studies: on going on meat, vegetables

Lessons learned, challenges and way forward

Timely demand and need for risk assessment in Vietnam

Proactive approaches to policy makers to offer our expertises

Learning by doing through case studies

Dependence/independence of taskforce vs. Request of policy makers

Further interactions with policy makers and keep the momentum…

ILRI

Acknowledgements

Funding and partners

ILRI