Presented by Nu Nu Yi - (Shan Maw Myae, Myanmar Consumers Union) - "An Analytical Study on

“An Analytical Study on
          Food Safety Issues in
      Different Stages of Vegetable
     Production from Farm to Table”

Presented by Nu Nu Yi
(Shan Maw Myae, Myanmar Consumers Union)

FSWG,
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        A member based network of
        Non-government, community based
        organizations and Individuals.

    Objective of FSWG
         To influence food security and lively hoods
         program.
         To support the growth and capacity of
         FSWG’s members
         FSWG Launched a call for food security
         related Evidence-based Research Proposal.

“An Analytical Study on Food Safety Issues
    in Different Stages of Vegetable Production
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    from Farm to Table”
          The research team consist of 5 members from
          Myanmar Agro Action (LNGO) , Myanmar
          Consumers Union (LNGO), Natural Resources
          and Technology Applied Group (LNGO), Shan
          Maw Myae (Business Co.).
     Period Covered
          Last week of September 2013 to
          End of December 2013
     Location
          Out Skirt of Yangon and Paung Tae Township,
          Bago Region

Objective of the research
4     To suggest better ways for getting vegetables
      free from residues of Agro-chemicals.
      To plan awareness programs and training by
      highlight the misuse of Agro-chemical in current
      vegetables production to improve safety for
      farmers, consumers and their environment.
      To suggest for better & safety ways for current
      vegetables supply chain to improve health for
      consumers
      To make suggestion concerned with vegetable
      food safety issues to policy makers

Methodologies of Research
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    1) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs)
       - 180 Vegetable Growers
    2) Individual Personal Interviews
       - (84) Retailers, (18) Wholesalers,
         (18)Transporters, (30) Consumers
    3) Key Informant Interview for secondary data
       - Plant Protection Division (Department of
         Agriculture
       - Vegetables, Fruits and Research Development
         Center (VFRDC)

Interviewing with FGD method
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    Questions for FGD with Vegetable Growers
    - Farm practices, utilizing of agro-chemical,
      harvest time and harvest system, post-harvest ,
    - Handling for preparation to market , awareness
      of knowledge for post-harvest handling, food
      safety, health and environment.

Individual personal interview method
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    Questions for Retailers
    - Purchase system of vegetables from whole sale
      market, transportation system, handling
      equipment and material
    - Storage and dispose waste system and
      knowledge and awareness of personal hygiene.
    - Handling for preparation to sell, awareness of
      knowledge for post-harvest handling, food
      safety, health and environment.

Individual personal interview method
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    Questions for Transporters
    - Type of vehicles
    - How to transport farm to local market
    Questions for Consumers
    - Purchasing and choosing vegetables
      from the markets
    - Preparation for cooking, storage system and
      awareness of nutritional value

Main Stakeholders
    Vegetable growers, sellers, consumers, government
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    and regional associations, research canter and other
    FSWG members.
    Main Beneficiaries
    - Vegetable growers for producing safety food.
    - Consumers to getting safety food
    - Policy makers to create better ways for
      vegetable safety in MYANMAR.
Person Involved along the supply chain
- Vegetable growers, retailers, wholesalers,
   transporters and consumers.

Study Area            Type of Vegetables
Yankin
10                Mustard, Lettuce, Roselle, Drumstick
Mingalardon Mustard, Lettuce, Roselle, Cabbage,
            Cauliflower
Thingangyun Mustard, Lettuce, Roselle, Drumstick
Mayangon          Water Cress
Paung Te          Mustard, Lettuce, Cabbage,
                  Cauliflowers, Eggplant, Bottle Gourd,
                  Cucumber, Long yard bean, Okra
TonTay            Indian Penny Wart Leaf

Key Secondary data documents
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     - ASEAN GAP
     - Managing quality practices for fresh fruit and
       vegetables (Igal Shulman MSc, Myanmar- 2012)
     - Proceeding workshop and Vegetables for
       Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security (Bir C.
       Mandal, FAO of UN)

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
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     GAP Standard designed:
     - Reassurance of consumers for food
     - Minimizing health hazards
     - Harmful environmental impact by reducing the
       use chemicals and by ensuring accountability
       approach to workers health as well as animal
       welfare
     - Fruit and vegetable must be safe to eat and
       quality should me maintained all the way from
       farm to tables

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
(Continued)
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     - Quality and Quantity of food can be
       lost during Pre-harvest, post-harvest practices
       such as; harvesting, preparation for market
       (handling, packing , storing) and transporting.
     - Operators along the supplying chain
       (growers, workers, wholesalers, retailers and
       transporter)

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
(Continued)
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     - Growers need to produce
       affordable food in sustainable way
     - Traders need to respond to consumers concerns
     - Awareness and accountability of operators
       along the supply chain are important
     - Lost of quality and quantity can make negative
       impact of food security and food safety
     - Lost of quality and quantity can be prevented
       or reduced by using GAP.

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
(Continued)
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     - Harmful hazards can also be formed
       along the supply chain process

               Chemical Hazard

                        Pesticide    Non Pesticide

Good Agriculture Practices (GAP)
(Continued)
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  Physical Hazard           Biological Hazard
                              E Coli
                             Shigella
                            Salmonella
                             bacteria
                            Cyclospora
                            Helminthes

Key Findings of the Research
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     When growing vegetables (Pre-harvesting)
     - Pesticide purchased from unauthorized sellers,
       not approved for crops
     - Store in unsecure place, incorrect location
     - Unmarked containers used for storage
     - Incorrect mixing and applied too often
     - Without protective clothing and equipment
     - Incorrect cleaning and incorrect disposal
     - Water resources are not clean
     (GAP guide to avoid those practices)

Pre-harvest practices observed
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Key Findings of the Research
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     During Harvesting
     - Produced is picked when immature or
       over-mature.
     - Rough handling by workers.
     - Picking containers are over-packed
     - Harvested during hot time of the day
     - Produced is exposed to sun
     - Disease infection
     - Long days before delivery
     (GAP guide to avoid those practices)

During preparation for the market in the field
or in packing house
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     - In correct grading
     - Rough handling by workers
     - Direct heaping on the ground
     - Unstable temperature
     - Unstable packing equipment
       and without liner
     - Unstable packages
     - Water used for vegetable are
        not clean.
     (GAP guide to avoid those practices)

During Transport
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     - Lack of temperature management
     - Vehicle exposed to sun and rain
     - Long days during transport
     - Rough handling during loading
     - In appropriate stacking
     - Mixing ethylene producing and
       ethylene sensitive produce
     (GAP guide to avoid those practices)

Studying in supermarkets and
interviewing with consumers.
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- Workers were packing and hold produce under the shed
- Some workers are trained but no knowledge about post-
  harvest handling
- All supermarkets use clean packing equipment and
  tables and used clean water
- All workers avoid excessive drops on rough surface
- The consumers in urban area had more knowledge in
  health than rural area
- Use clean water and clean preparation for cooking.
- Most of consumer in urban area know the
  nutritional value of vegetables.

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Conclusion
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      Vegetable Research in MYANMAR
       has not develop well yet
      Post-harvest technologies to follow GAP become
       very important role to uplift the livelihood of all
       farmers and other stakeholders along the supply
       chain
      FAO has achieved to accelerate to research and
       development of vegetable sectors with related
       consultancies and government departments

Suggestions
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 • Myanmar Agriculture Service (MAS) associated
   with Myanmar Fruit and Vegetable Production
   and Exporter Association should encourage
   vegetable farmers to follow GAP widely
 • Necessary training programs, seminars and
   workshops should be continue to held periodically
 • Strong parallel efforts market infrastructure
   development for vegetable crops are also
   needed

Suggestions (continued)
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• Pesticides must be sold together with PPE
  (Pesticide Law)
• Selection of correct/appropriate pesticide to
  crops especially for vegetables must be
  easy.(Clear PHI on label-Pesticide Law)
• Keeping Crop Record Books must be started. First
  in Research Centers & YAU, and then practice until
  to farmers.
• Research on vegetable safety and postharvest
  issues should be done more as National
  Requirement.

Suggestions (continued)
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 • Vegetable Production Cooperatives should be
   form in the villages where are producing plenty of
   vegetables, and have to support investments, GAP
   messages, value-added practices, food
   preservation, and vegetable postharvest
   technology.
 • Consider to support vegetable farms in schools.
   Now agriculture is a compulsory subject in schools.
 • To set up Consumers Protection Law

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Presented by Nu Nu Yi
(Shan Maw Myae, Myanmar Consumers Union)