The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) have announced the expansion of their long-term collaboration into a formal strategic partnership for large-scale capacity building programs.

As part of UNIDO’s inclusive and sustainable industrial development initiative, the organization must maintain close ties with the private sector, which makes joining forces with GFSI a perfect fit. Both entities will jointly dedicate and mobilize resources in a strategic long-term plan to scale up food safety capacity building in priority regions.

UNIDO and GFSI have partnered in various collaborations since 2009. The two, along with AEON, successfully implemented a sustainable supplier development project in Malaysia.

In November, UNIDO and GFSI designed a roadmap that outlines what they plan to conquer next. Both groups will work on implementing food safety capacity building projects in various countries based on the GFSI Global Markets Program. This program sets out how small and less developed food companies can meet the challenge of food safety, increase productivity and gain market access. Once launched, the program will focus on key regions in the global food network, beginning with China, Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

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