Denmark, Bangladesh sign project to promote safer and more sustainable food production

Denmark and Bangladesh have further strengthened cooperation on food and agriculture to support safe and sustainable food production in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) and the Danish Embassy, on behalf of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, have signed a Strategic Sector Cooperation (SSC) Project on food safety and green transition of the dairy value chain.

This new project between Denmark and Bangladesh will address several challenges to food safety in Bangladesh, including antimicrobial resistance and misuse of antibiotics in food production.

Zakaria, chairman of BFSA, underlined the importance of ensuring safe food for all to ensure health and development. "This collaboration will help to develop Bangladesh further and ensure safe food. By increasing food safety measures, Bangladesh will have more access to the international food market," he said.

Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh, Christian Brix Møller, said, "Denmark and Bangladesh have been trusted partners for more than five decades. We are delighted to have entered this partnership to strengthen our cooperation on food safety, mainly antimicrobial resistance and sustainable food production, and to support health and development towards a prosperous Bangladesh."

The signing has solidified the commitment of both nations to continue close cooperation in the food and agricultural sectors and collaborate on vital matters related to food safety management and sustainable food production. This SSC project is a government-to-government project between Denmark and Bangladesh.

The Danish partner in this project is the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA). In contrast, the Bangladeshi partners are BFSA, Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), Directorate General Drug Administration (DGDA), and Department of Livestock Services (DLS). The three-year government-to-government project is bringing Danish and Bangladeshi experts together.

The three core objectives of this project are: i) Improving food safety in the dairy value chain through strengthening the regulatory framework and capacity building, ii) preventing antimicrobial resistance in the livestock sector through strengthening the regulatory framework and capacity building, and iii) supporting efficient and sustainable dairy production through strengthening the capacity of the competent authority working with extension service for dairy farmers.