{"id":739,"date":"2021-04-20T02:30:27","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T06:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ag.purdue.edu\/food-safety-innovation-lab\/?p=739"},"modified":"2025-07-25T08:33:27","modified_gmt":"2025-07-25T12:33:27","slug":"2020-landscape-review-of-food-safety-in-cambodia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ag.purdue.edu\/food-safety-innovation-lab\/2020-landscape-review-of-food-safety-in-cambodia\/","title":{"rendered":"2020 Landscape Review of Food Safety in Cambodia Identifies Gaps and Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cambodia\u2019s food system is comprised of complex production chains which connect small-scale producers with the informal, fresh air markets where the majority of consumers purchase food. Production chains and markets are fluid and non-uniform, with opportunities during transport, distribution\u00a0and sale for food to be cross-contaminated with organisms that cause foodborne illness. Although comprehensive statistics on the burden of foodborne illnesses in Cambodia are not available, the high incidence of diarrheal diseases, which are responsible for\u00a06% of childhood mortalities<\/a>\u00a0in the country and affect all socioeconomic groups, indicates that strengthening food safety policies and practices could help realize the country\u2019s goal of well-nourished individuals, households\u00a0and communities.<\/p>\n

Approach<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Funded through the\u00a0Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety<\/a>, this analysis describes current food safety initiatives in Cambodia, with an emphasis on efforts funded by or working in concert with USAID. Authors\u00a0Paul Ebner<\/a>\u00a0(Purdue University),\u00a0Jessie Vipham<\/a>\u00a0(Kansas State University)\u00a0and\u00a0Lyda Hok\u00a0(Center of Excellence on Sustainable Agricultural Intensification and Nutrition [CE SAIN],\u00a0Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia) conducted reviews of the literature, site visits\u00a0and informal conversations with government, private sector\u00a0and academic stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Findings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The report highlights the key laws, government ministries, interagency collaborative programs\u00a0and national initiatives involved in food safety, including the recent assessment of Cambodian health security by the\u00a0Asian Development Bank<\/a>; food safety-allied programs, such as infectious disease-focused aid projects; and Cambodian food safety research programs and their current research directions. The authors present a roadmap for closing major data gaps, developing informed policies, linking food sector stakeholders\u00a0and enhancing food safety communication throughout the country, with an emphasis on the creation of locally-sustained food safety policies and practices. The authors identify the following gaps and opportunities:<\/p>\n