"www.fao.org/about/meetings/sustainable-food-systems-nutrition-symposium The International Symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition was jointly held by FAO and WHO in December 2016 to explore policies and programme options for shaping the food systems in ways that deliver foods for a healthy diet, focusing on concrete country experiences and challenges. This Symposium waas the first large-scale contribution under the UN Decade of Action for Nutrition 2016-2025. This presentation was part of Parallel session 1.2: Maintaining and improving nutritional value and food safety along the value chain"

2. IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY
ALONG THE FOOD VALUE CHAIN IN FORMAL
AND INFORMAL MARKETS
Tamara Bošković, DVM

3. In the period of pre-accession to the European Union (EU)
• As a candidate country, Serbia is required to adopt a strategy for
implementation of EU food hygiene standards in the establishments for the
production of food of animal origin.
• National programme for upgrading of establishments should enable the food
business operators (FBOs) to fulfil new legal requirements and to continue their
operation in equal and competitive manner on internal and on EU market.
• The strategic approach and consistent enforcement of the decisions should
prevent the closure of a high number of establishments with the negative
impact on national economy and social status of the employees in the area of
production, processing and trade of food of animal origin, especially in the
meat and milk sector.

4. Formal markets in food sector
Formal markets in food sector: high quality and food safety standards, high capital
investment, control and audit of process in place.
 Include domestic large production and retail sector, export chains and
processing industries.
 Access to different markets:
• CEFTA - Central European Free Trade Agreement
• Belorussia, Euro-Asian Union, Turkey, Kazakhstan - Free Trade Agreement (FTA)
• USA - General System of Preferences
• Trade Agreement with China

5. Informal market: Small manufacturing enterprises and small traders
• The capacity for implementing new standards in small
establishments must be improved and upgraded to meet EU
standards.
• Enabling the continued use of traditional methods of
production, processing and distribution of food.
• Accommodating the needs of food businesses situated in
regions that are subject to geographical constraints.
• National measures shall apply only to the construction,
layout and equipment of establishments.

6. The informal food sector – main issues:
 Lack of knowledge related to food safety rules and no formal training:
Poor maintenance of structures and equipment, insufficient regular cleaning of
facilities with contamination and dust present on ceilings, floors and working
surfaces
 Very low capital investment, the new innovations, response on demands of
customers
 Households and micro-enterprises with varying and limited purchasing power
 Limitation in placing on the market, inadequate transport infrastructure places

7. The informal food sector – certain advantages:
 The traditional preparation of food – techniques that ensure safety
products (cooking, smoking, long term maturation)
 Keeping good quality of targeted products – good balance of
nutritional items
 Opportunity for small/local family/businesses to sell their products
with “added value”

8. Policies for upgrading and improving informal food operators
 Identify informal activities, food operators and market habits - currently
invisible
 Prepare national legislation, guidelines and trainings on food hygiene, safety
and quality, advertisement and sales
 Improve production (supply of clean water, appropriate land), transport
(infrastructure, communication routes between points of urban and
periurban area, public transport) and storage conditions and capacity
(freezers)
 Helping smallholders increase incomes - linking them into high value export
chains
 Building capacity of producers’ associations and support genuine and
effective dialogue
On the large global market, provide small producers with opportunity to sell
healthy, organic and traditionally valuable food