DUSHANBE, November 25, 2014, Asia-Plus -- The 3rd capacity building session on food safety/НАССР (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) and marketing in the framework of the Development of Fruit and Vegetable (F&V) Processing Sector in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Project kicked off in Dushanbe today.

According to the Delegation of the European Union to Tajikistan, marketing training sessions include degustation panel (testing F&V processed products produced by participating SMEs from the South of Tajikistan) and the seminar with market operators (supermarkets, hotels): “Access to supermarkets for F&V processing SMEs from the South of Tajikistan: opportunities and challenges.”

The event is organized by the National Association of Small and Medium Business of the Republic of Tajikistan (NASMB, the Project Partner) together with non-governmental organization "British Expertise" (UK, the Applicant) and the Association of Food Industry Enterprises of Kyrgyzstan (The Project Partner) with the financial support of the European Union within the Central Asia Invest (CAI) III Program.

The project is aimed at the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in F&V processing sector in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, and on strengthening the capacity of the Business Intermediate Organizations (BIOs) providing consulting services to these enterprises, in order to strengthen their positions in the national, regional and international markets.

Representatives of SMEs, consulting companies, academic and governmental institutions involved in F&V processing sector generally and in food safety control in particular are taking part in this capacity building session that will run through November 27.

Trainings on food safety/НАССР and marketing are carried out within this and next year (quarterly).