The Ministry of Agriculture yesterday held an event to educate the private sector on a new law on animal health and production – intended to bring Cambodia’s farms and slaughterhouses up to speed with its regional peers – before the legislation finally goes into effect.

Though the bill was introduced in 2007, it wasn’t signed into law until February, and has yet to be implemented.

Tan Phannara, the ministry’s director of animal health and production, said he hoped the law will help improve food safety for both export and local consumption.

However, Yang Saing Koma, president of agricultural NGO CEDAC, said that “having the law helps, but it is not enough. The industry lacks the manpower, technological resources and funding to implement the law effectively.”

Ministry spokesman Lor Raksmey acknowledged that the government’s ability to implement the law is limited, but still hoped it could still help Cambodia reach international standards.

According to Raksmey, as a member of the World Trade Organization and ASEAN, Cambodia has standards it must meet to encourage exportation.