Self-regulation mindset in food safety management

On the morning of April 16, in Ha Noi, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in coordination with the Embassy of Canada, held the Completion Workshop of the “Safe Food for Growth” (SAFEGRO) Project for the 2020-2026 period. The project, funded by a non-refundable grant of CAD 15.3 million from the Government of Canada, has generated significant knowledge and practical legacies for food safety management in Viet Nam.

Legacy of a risk-based management system

The core objective of SAFEGRO is to support Viet Nam in building a food safety system grounded in scientific evidence and a risk-based approach. After nearly six years of implementation by Alinea International, the project has delivered tangible benefits to millions of consumers in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, while strengthening the capacity of thousands of government officials and value chain actors.

Reflecting on the journey of accompanying Viet Nam’s agricultural sector, Ms. Francesca Bellone, Development Counsellor and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Canada in Viet Nam, shared: “From a broader perspective, a strong food safety system is the foundation for sustainable trade and economic growth. Canada has long been a reliable supplier of food products, while Viet Nam is Canada’s second-largest agri-food export market in ASEAN. Agreements such as the CPTPP continue to create new opportunities, and projects like SAFEGRO ensure that this growth is sustainable and built on mutual trust.”

“Nearly 2,000 officials at both national and local levels have been capacitated to develop, implement, and manage food safety regulations. New technical guidelines and tools have been developed, along with the introduction of modern systems such as private laboratory information management systems. The Vietnam Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (VFSA) has been established, marking an important institutional legacy that supports evidence-based decision-making,” she emphasized.

SAFEGRO not only addresses current challenges but also invests in the future, as a comprehensive food safety curriculum is now being implemented at 12 universities and training institutions across Viet Nam, helping to build a strong pipeline of future experts.

A “self-regulation” mindset and value chain responsibility

Beyond the policy level, one of the project’s most notable achievements is the practical application of food safety self-assessment tools and checklists in schools, production facilities, and key traditional markets (such as Minh Khai and Binh Dien markets).

Delivering keynote remarks at the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam highly appreciated the practical food safety guidelines for vegetable cultivation and pig production. These guidelines provide detailed, step-by-step instructions, along with self-assessment checklists applied in schools, production facilities, and business establishments.

“The most important takeaway for me from this project is the development of a logical mindset on food safety. It starts with establishing an appropriate institutional framework for direction, and extends to enabling people to practice and self-regulate in real situations, thereby shaping a culture of food safety,” he noted.

Self-regulation not only helps ensure compliance with legal requirements but also serves as a foundation for positioning agricultural product brands, addressing the current situation where products meet standards yet fail to generate commensurate added value in the market.

Deputy Minister Nam also highlighted a key challenge: “We already have cooperatives that are well-organized, applying various standards effectively. However, the most critical issue remains market access. In reality, products that meet standards still do not achieve higher value, as they are treated the same as conventional products. Therefore, the core issue is to build strong brands for these products, clearly demonstrating their true value.”

Regarding the development of organic agriculture, the Ministry’s leadership noted that the Viet Nam Organic Agriculture Association has been tasked with organizing leadership training courses in production. “These courses are designed for managers and local ‘front-runners’ to scale up models, not for farmers. This is because organic agriculture is not only about production techniques, but also encompasses market dynamics, social responsibility, and environmental considerations,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.

As the six-year implementation phase comes to a close, SAFEGRO is expected not merely to remain a standalone project but to serve as a springboard for longer-term cooperation strategies. The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment also stressed that food safety standards must be continuously updated to meet stringent international market requirements, especially as global consumption trends increasingly shift toward green products.

Sending a message to the Embassy of Canada and development partners, Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam expressed his expectations: “During my meeting with Global Affairs Canada, I proposed the continuation of an upgraded project - one that elevates cooperation to a new level: transitioning toward safe, low-emission agricultural production, closely linked with brand building.”