Improving Food safety in the Republic of Moldova

Improving Food safety in the Republic of Moldova

Project Description

The overall objective of the GIZ programme was:

  • Tto increase consumer food safety by strengthening the capacity of the National Food Safety Agency (NFSA);
  • To facilitate international trade in livestock and their products in the Republic of Moldova (following the signing of the EU Association Agreement in 2014 and the related Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (DCFTA) that aimed to provide a framework for a comprehensive harmonization of the Moldovan food safety system with the Acquis Communautaire).
  • To support the NFSA to ensure food safety, from production of animal products to the distribution of food of animal origin to Moldovan consumers, and eventually to export these products into the EU.

The services provided in this project supported the GIZ programme in all aspects to achieve this overall objective. The project activities strengthened the competence and capability of the NFSA in the relevant areas improving their required competence to perform official controls of food products of animal origin in compliance with the provisions of the Moldova-EU Association Agreement.

Services provided:

1. Assistance in elaboration of a quality management system and development of working procedures:

  • Drafting a quality management manual based on ISO 17020 standard, develop 30 working procedures to ensure processes are in line with EU requirements and ISO/IEC 17020 (for inspection bodies)
  • Assessing poultry, eggs and milk establishments on willingness to undergo the up-grading process for the EU market

2. Training of Inspectors:

  • Develop training content for short courses for FS inspectors
  • Providing training to NFSA staff on the application of the draft working procedures (HACCP-control was a substantial part in the training of inspectors)
  • A total of 363 inspectors were trained
  • Preparing the risk based inspection criteria and planning-focused approach to animal origin food
  • Drafting of annual inspection programs and sampling plans

3. Quality assurance through internal audits:

  • Assessment of the NFSA internal audit system
  • Providing a series of trainings for the NFSA auditors at the central and regional level; 67 staff were trained
  • Follow-up – evaluation of the implemented recommendations from the internal audit reports

4. Implementation of the EU recommendations and upgrading of animal origin food establishments

  • Provided assistance to three poultry production establishments to upgrade production processes, establish HACCP and biosecurity systems
  • Monitoring the implementation of the up-grading plans and processes
Country

Moldova

Origin of Funding

Deutsche Gesellschaft für international Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

Name of Client

National Food Safety Agency (NFSA)

Project Dates

08/2016 – 04/2018

Project Value [EUR]

451,642

Proportion carried out by ADT Project Consulting

65

Staff provided

15

Name of partners, if any:

GFA Consulting Group GmbH

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