IFC Helps Improve Local Food Safety Capacity in Georgia

[Publicity.ge]Tbilisi, Georgia, May 30, 2011-IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is helping improve local food safety capacity in Georgia by conducting a three-day seminar for local food safety consultants to improve their ability to manage food safety issues in Georgian companies and boost the sector's competitiveness.

From May 24 to 27, IFC experts provided a seminar for about 20 food safety consultants from eight Georgian consulting companies to introduce the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) program for pursuing continuous improvement in food safety systems. Seminar topics covered all key elements of food safety management systems, and a special site visit to a local producer allowed the consultants to test their knowledge in practice.

"IFC experts introduced consultants to the program, which is built around specific safety requirements posed by retailers on their suppliers," said Maia Tevzadze, Project Manager for IFC's Georgia Food Safety Improvement Project. "I am sure the knowledge gained as a result of the seminar will help the consultants work with suppliers to gradually achieve the level of safety expected by the top international standards."

The seminar was part of IFC Georgia Food Safety Improvement Project activities designed to improve food safety practices among Georgian food manufacturers. The IFC project is part of IFC's broader initiative to improve food safety across the Europe and Central Asia region. Similar projects are also underway in Belarus, Ukraine and Western Balkans.

The IFC Georgia Food Safety Improvement Project is being implemented in partnership with BP and its oil and gas co-venturers, as well as the Austrian Ministry of Finance.

IFC's cumulative investments in Georgia since 1995 total nearly $500 million in 36 projects across a variety of sectors. Through its Advisory Services, IFC is working towards reform of Georgia's tax system to benefit small businesses, and is also helping raise food safety standards. Georgia has been a member of IFC since 1995.

About IFC

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. We create opportunity for people to escape poverty and improve their lives. We do so by providing financing to help businesses employ more people and supply essential services, by mobilizing capital from others, and by delivering advisory services to ensure sustainable development. In a time of global economic uncertainty, our new investments climbed to a record $18 billion in fiscal 2010. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.

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For more information about IFC's partners, visit:

The Austrian Ministry of Finance, http://english.bmf.gv.at.

BP, http://www.bp.com/.