Da Nang is the second locality in Viet Nam to pilot the establishment of a Food Safety Management Board to control food quality, and ensure the rights and health of consumers.

After more than 6 years of implementing solutions in this field, the National Assembly has recently issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 on the urban administration organisation and the piloting of a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the city's development, which allows Da Nang to establish a Food Safety Department.

The Politburo’s Conclusion No. 79-KL/TW on continuing to implement Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW on building and developing Da Nang to 2030, with a vision to 2045, clearly stated that perfecting the State management system on food safety towards a unified management agency. This is a favourable condition for the city to continue to do a good job of ensuring food safety and improving people's health.

Local functional bodies inspecting kitchens to ensure food safety in Hoa Vang District. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Food Safety Management Board: There are still problems and difficulties

The Food Safety Management Board is the standing agency of the city's Inter-Sectoral Steering Committee on food safety, and a focal point for advising the municipal People's Committee in directing and operating in a more comprehensive and faster manner than before.

During the 6-year pilot period (2018-2023), the Food Safety Management Board made suggestions to the municipal People's Committee to issue many decisions, plans, and official dispatches on food safety work in accordance with the local actual conditions.

With the pilot model of unifying one focal point, aiming to ensure food safety for local people, the management board has developed and implemented annual activities with a focus on raising awareness of food safety for the community, and increasing inspection visits to fight against dirty food.

Till date, the performance of the Food Safety Management Board has significantly contributed to resolving limitations in the coordination mechanism between relevant agencies and the focal point responsible for food safety management; creating trust and convenience for people in handling administrative procedures on food safety; and increasing people’s satisfaction about public administrative services on food safety.

In addition, the management board coordinates with relevant units in the city and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the provinces to build a safe food supply chain system for the city, thereby providing people with safe food with clear traceability.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tan Hai, Head of the city’s Food Safety Management Board, the Food Safety Management Board is a new model, not yet included in the legal document system, and is still in the pilot period, so it has encountered some legal problems regarding the authority to inspect, issue penalties, and organize personnel.

In Da Nang, based on the implementation of assigned tasks, controlling food safety with fresh agricultural products, especially vegetables and fruits imported from other provinces, is still a difficult task.

Agricultural production in the city only meets about 10% of the people's food needs, whilst the rest mainly comes from other provinces and cities. The implementation of product traceability is still limited, and it is necessary to coordinate in controlling food quality from the province before bringing it to the city for consumption.

Department of Food Safety: Unifying one management focal point

Recently, the National Assembly has issued Resolution No. 136/2024/QH15 on the urban administration organisation and the piloting of a number of specific mechanisms and policies for the development of Da Nang, which allows Da Nang to establish the Department of Food Safety.

Conclusion No. 79 also clearly stated the completion of the State management system on food safety towards unifying a single management unit. This is an important condition to maximise the effectiveness of the pilot model of the Food Safety Management Board.

Specifically, this will address the limitations of the coordination mechanism between relevant agencies and a focal point responsible for food safety management.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tan Hai, the establishment of a department-level agency specialising in ensuring food safety shows the importance, and enhances the role and position of this task.

Additionally, the establishment of a new administrative unit in the field also contributes to proactively and actively monitoring food circulating in the market, and advising on tighter management of food sources imported into the city.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Kim Minh, Head of the Son Tra District-based Health Office, highlighted the necessity of the establishment of the Department of Food Safety in the current context when the State management of food safety needs to be implemented synchronously and effectively to ensure clean and safe meals for people.

Meanwhile, as shared by Mr. Luong Cong Tuan, Head of the Legal Department of the municipal People's Council, the establishment of the Department of Food Safety will make the State management of this field in the city much better. This will create trust and convenience for people in handling administrative procedures on food safety, as well as simplify administrative procedures, thereby increasing the satisfaction levels about public administrative services on food safety among people.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG - Translating by M.DUNG