Nestle launches ‘ Serve Safe Food’ project for local vendors

Kathmandu, Dec. 17

Nestlé India has launched ‘Serve Safe Food’ project in Nepal in partnership with the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board and National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI).

The company said that about 500 street food vendors would be trained under this project on food safety and hygiene in Nepal. “The project was first piloted in 2016 in India, and in the last four year, 20000 street food vendors were trained across 17 locations,” it said in a press statement.

The project focuses on educating and training street food vendors on health, hygiene, safe food handling, waste disposal, and entrepreneurship.

According to the company, these trainings will equip the street food vendors to undertake measures such as usage of disposable gloves and personal hygiene that prevent the spread of foodborne diseases.

Dr. Matina Joshi Vaidhya, Director General of DFTQC, said, “Eating clean, safe and healthy food is of utmost importance for people. Therefore empowering our street food vendors with knowledge and skills will go a long way in our commitment towards food safety.”

Likewise, Deepak Joshi, Chief Executive of NTB said that Nepal was a popular tourist destination and street food vending was an important source of employment for the local population.

“The initiative undertaken by Nestlé India for upskilling street food vendors becomes very important in the wake of Visit Nepal 2020. I am sure that the project will aid in developing and strengthening the food safety infrastructure in Nepal,” he said.

Sanjay Khajuria, Director - Corporate Affairs of Nestlé India said, “We have seen that the training programs have brought about positive behavior change and encouraged our street food vendors to take food safety and food hygiene seriously. Clean and safe food, brings in more customers, improves the livelihood of the vendors, which in turn helps build confidence of the vendors in their business.”

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 18 December 2019.