The Manual will strengthen the institutional capacities - both public and private - of member countries to develop and implement quality assurance and food safety programs for fresh fruits and vegetables, using the principles and practice of GAP, GMP and HACCP.

Specific objectives

• Analyse the growing international importance of the horticultural sector, e.g Latin America, identifying challenges and future opportunities.



• Present an integrated approach to the quality and safety concepts as applied to production and trade of fresh fruits and vegetables.



• Clearly present the standards and regulations - both voluntary and mandatory - applicable to quality and safety issues.



• "Train the trainers" in the principles and practices of quality and safety issues throughout the food chain (emphasizing GAP, GMP and HACCP).



• Identify country opportunities and difficulties in order to implement quality and food safety programs and suggest ways to overcome the problems.

Outcomes

Trainers, once each subregional workshop is completed, will be able to:

• organize training courses, adapting the contents of the Manual, with suitable examples and exercises tailored to the private and institutional needs of each country;



• support the implementation of quality and safety initiatives from private and public institutions;



• lead teams attempting to consolidate strategies for national codes of practice, guidelines and quality and safety programs and initiatives in general.