FAO supports strengthening laboratory quality and competence in Tajikistan

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in close partnership with the Committee for Food Security under the Government of Tajikistan, has successfully conducted a two-day technical training aimed at strengthening the capacity of veterinary laboratory personnel across the country in the areas of competence and quality management systems.

Reliable laboratory results are essential for effective disease surveillance, food safety, and animal health management. In recent years, Tajikistan has made significant investments to modernize and revitalize veterinary laboratories nationwide. This training represents an important step towards ensuring that these investments translate into sustainable, high-quality laboratory performance aligned with international standards.

The training focused on the application of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, the internationally recognized standard for laboratory competence. Participants were introduced to both technical and management requirements, with particular emphasis on their practical application in routine laboratory operations. Real-world examples, including ELISA-based diagnostic workflows, were used to strengthen the link between theory and practice.

Over the two days, participants covered key areas such as quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC), risk-based thinking, method validation, measurement uncertainty, and accreditation processes. The programme also addressed management system requirements, including standard operating procedures (SOPs), internal audits, and corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).

“Robust laboratory systems are a cornerstone of effective animal health protection and food safety. Through this training, FAO is supporting Tajikistan to enhance the skills of veterinary laboratory personnel and to integrate quality management principles into daily practice, thereby ensuring more reliable diagnostics and stronger disease surveillance capacities,” said Aghasi Harutyunyan, FAO Representative in Tajikistan.

As a result of the training, participants gained a clearer understanding of the principles of ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and strengthened their ability to apply quality management practices in their day-to-day work. The training also supported laboratories in identifying operational gaps, developing improvement plans, and enhancing their readiness for international accreditation.

“Strengthening veterinary laboratory capacity is fundamental to ensuring food safety, animal health and public health protection. This initiative contributes to improving technical competencies and supports the implementation of ISO/IEC 17025:2017, thereby advancing laboratory performance, accreditation readiness and more effective disease surveillance systems in Tajikistan,” said Mustafa Muminzoda, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Food Security under the Government of Tajikistan.

FAO continues to support Tajikistan in improving the reliability and consistency of diagnostic results by strengthening laboratory systems and promoting the adoption of internationally recognized standards. These efforts contribute directly to improved disease detection, enhanced food safety, and increased resilience to animal and zoonotic diseases.

This initiative reflects FAO’s ongoing commitment to building sustainable laboratory capacities and advancing the One Health approach in Tajikistan.