Indonesia’s quarantine agency and Canada are strengthening ASEAN food safety systems through laboratory capacity building and cross-border collaboration to tackle risks including antimicrobial resistance.
The initiative is being carried out by Indonesia’s Quarantine Agency (Barantin) through a Food Safety Laboratory Management Workshop under the first phase of the CanSafe Project, the agency said on Monday.
"Food safety has become a strategic issue in ASEAN, both in intra-regional trade and in meeting food needs from outside the region,” Head of Indonesia’s Quarantine Agency Sahat M Panggabean said.
He said global challenges, including food contamination and antimicrobial resistance, require more reliable and standardized laboratory testing systems.
The program forms part of ASEAN-Canada cooperation under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), particularly on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), which govern food safety and protect human, animal, fish and plant health as well as the environment.
Sahat said stronger laboratory systems depend on improved management, international standards and skilled analysts.
"Strengthening laboratory management capacity and enhancing analysts’ competence are key to building a resilient food safety system,” he said.
Canada’s Agricultural Counsellor at its embassy in Indonesia, Jasmine Lebelle, said the partnership supports technical exchange and best practices across the region.
"Canada is proud to partner with ASEAN, including Indonesia, in strengthening food safety systems,” Lebelle said.
Executive Director of Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Diedrah Kelly highlighted the need for cross-border collaboration to address global food safety challenges.
The workshop runs through April 23 and involves stakeholders including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office, Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International, the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN member state delegates.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening human resources and regional food safety systems to support trade flows while maintaining health protections.
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Translator: Aria Ananda, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Primayanti
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