International trade of fresh fruits and vegetables is a billion dollar business that has significantly increased in the last two decades. This trade is important for many developing countries and may account for an important share of their hard currency earnings.
Losses resulting from inadequate post-harvest handling, storage and distribution result in diminished returns for producing countries. In the last years, international markets have rejected exports of fruits and vegetables containing non-authorized pesticides, with pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits, with inadequate labelling and packaging requirements, with contaminants exceeding regulatory levels, without the required nutritional information and/or with inadequate general quality.
To reduce the risks from contamination associated with production and trade of fresh fruits and vegetables and to promote market opportunities, efforts are under way by governments and industry to develop and apply good practices throughout the food chain. Stress is placed on implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) in production and harvest; Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) especially during post-harvest and Quality and Safety Assurance Systems, such as HACCP, throughout the food chain to avoid and to control hazards.
The Food and Nutrition Division of FAO has given assistance to developing countries through technical cooperation projects and consultancies to develop food safety policies and to build local capacities for safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. In the last four years, several regional FAO workshops in Latin America have identified the need for integrated actions to address food safety and quality throughout the post-harvest chain and have shown the need for greater emphasis in the use of GAP and GMP in primary production of foods and vegetables.
To accomplish this, the Food and Nutrition Division of FAO, with inputs provided by the workshops, has implemented the Global Project "Global Inventory, Reference Materials and Food Safety Training Programme for Improving the Quality and Safety of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables".
The objective is to strengthen (as a first step) the capability of Latin American and Caribbean countries to implement food safety and quality assurance programs for fresh fruits and vegetables, exchange information and provide train the trainers courses. Multipliers will replicate the experiences nationally and will enhance awareness on the relevance and importance of applying integrated approaches to quality and safety initiatives from the producer to the final consumer.
This Manual is a guide for training courses for trainers at the national level. The guidelines to train the trainers focus on the practical application of technical concepts, supporting the implementation of quality assurance and safety initiatives for fresh fruits and vegetables, from private and public institutions at the local, regional, national and governmental levels in each country. The Manual provides guidelines for practical and participative workshops, with the integrated and multidisciplinary approach required to ensure the success of quality assurance and food safety programs for fresh fruits and vegetables.
The contents were validated by different subregional workshops held in several Latin American and Caribbean countries with the final text incorporating recommendations and contributions resulting from these workshops.
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 in Latin America & the Caribbean, 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.
The Manual is addressed to private and public trainers, responsible for capacity building, research, project formulation, projects and programs in quality and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. These trainers usually belong to:
government institutions responsible for public policies (ministries, secretaries, etc.);
research institutions;
capacity building and extension-work institutions; quality standards organizations;
quality certification organizations;
institutions responsible for public regulations in food quality and safety;
management and development organizations; institutions strengthening the fruit and vegetable sector; producers and traders associations.
The Manual contents are presented in 5 sections, totalling at least 40 hours and allowing time for review by the trainers.
Each section contributes to defining the programme for quality assurance and food safety for fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the food chain. Figure 1 outlines the workshop flow diagram.
Contents are in two parts. Part 1, introduces the Manual with general considerations for country courses. The remaining contents of the Manual, in five sections, are contained in Part 2.
- Section I. Introduction to the workshop
Contains the objectives, methodologies and scope of the workshop, pointing out to the trainers what is feasible and what is not feasible to achieve.
- Section II. Importance of the horticultural sector in Latin America & the Caribbean
Explores the trainers role in the fresh fruit and vegetables quality and safety system, stressing the multidisciplinary approach and the need to join private and public efforts for a successful outcome.
Issues relating to the dynamics of the horticultural sector are addressed to show the potential offered for the economic and social improvement of developing countries. The importance of quality and safety to provide and sustain opportunities for market access is stressed.
- Section III. Quality maintenance and enhancement throughout the fresh fruits and vegetables chain
Part I reviews the complexities and subtleties related to the concept of quality as applied to fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as the relationship among the actors involved and resulting in private and public standards and certification schemes (each one adding new and stricter quality requirements).
Part II illustrates critical processes associated with quality losses in post-harvest handling and provides examples of available technologies designed to extend post-harvest life and minimize losses. Guidelines for action plans to enhance quality in the post-harvest steps are presented. Specific attention is given to hazards associated with deterioration in quality attributes, particularly taste, smell, texture, consistence and post-harvest life.
FIGURE 1. WORKSHOP FLOW DIAGRAM
- Section IV. Applying food safety principles to the fresh fruits and vegetables chain
Part I provides a clear understanding of the safety concept as applied to demand and trade of fresh fruits and vegetables and the requirements of Codex Alimentarius regarding food safety.
Part II focuses on safety assurance programs, including prerequisite programs (GAP, GMP, GHP, SOPs) and HACCP. Practical exercises, case studies and field visits allow the trainers to develop safety assurance programs applied to primary production based on the HACCP approach.
- Section V. Importance of certifications and other quality schemes for the horticultural sector
Reviews the impact of certification schemes enforced by dynamic import markets for fresh fruits and vegetables, with examples from Latin American experiences matching international regulations. These regulations cover quality attributes and safety requirements as well as others related to production methods, the environment and ethical matters. The last part deals with establishing action plans at all levels for food quality assurance and safety programs with responsibilities clearly attributed to participants.
Each section of the Manual has the same format, including:
Objectives, time frame for the section, capacity building plan, expected results, materials required and activities to be followed.
Capacity building training materials include reference literature for trainers, case studies, guidelines for field visits and work sheets.
The methodology used involves the participation of trainers in team discussions, brainstorming, analysis of case studies, document research, drafting action plans, etc.
Bibliographic references, at the end of sections, allow the trainers to explore in more detail the subjects covered, enlarging their knowledge and clarifying doubts. Specialized references provide specific support to trainers. Power Point presentations introduce concepts and conclusions to be reached, facilitating the presentation of the technical components.
Trainers can expand or reduce the sections catering to the audience and their expectations, selecting and adjusting activities, training materials and presentations accordingly.
A photographic gallery for training in GAP, GHP and GMP is annexed to the Manual.
It is suggested to keep the sections in order. Should changes be required, care should be taken to follow a logical order that does not impair the general understanding.
Participation in all five sections is essential to achieve the objectives of the workshop, as well as an intensive activity requiring considerable effort from both participants and trainers.
The trainer should consider the following when planning country "train the trainers" courses:
- Budget
Special attention must be given to budgetary considerations for a course with a time frame of at least 40 hours. For national courses, proper attention must be given to lodging and transportation costs for participants from different areas, to ensure completion in a single and continuous workshop. Local courses allow for more flexibility by splitting modules and permitting a more adequate monitoring of advances and achievements.
Joint work by several public and private institutions, driven by common objectives, can relieve many of the budgetary constraints likely to occur, thereby enriching the workshop with inputs from outside lecturers who would supplement the trainers work.
- Organization
Successful workshops start with planning. Fundamental to success is the adequate articulation for the private and public efforts. Therefore, as a first step trainers must contact public and private institutions capable of supporting the various workshop requirements: technical presentations, logistics, financial considerations, etc. Once the team is assembled, each member should be assigned clearly identified responsibilities to be completed within a specified time frame. Annex 1 gives an example of planning.
- Lecturers and other required technical support
Trainers, already exposed to subregional training workshops, will be technically responsible for the workshop. However, sometimes it is very convenient to have the technical support and experience of other members of the institutions in the team or from external consultants. This is especially valuable when specific experiences have to be illustrated. In any case, joint work by the teams is essential to integrate and relate the subjects reviewed. Before the workshop, time should be allowed for meetings to adjust the contents of this Manual to local conditions.
- Selecting participants
The number of participants, permitted for efficient workshops, should be between 25 and 30, with different backgrounds and from institutions working with fresh fruits and vegetables in training, technology transfer, innovation and technological development, research, standards, certification and project and programme development and execution. Additionally, the contents of the workshop can be adapted to specific training courses, addressing the special needs from producers, transport personnel, exporters, etc.
- Previous contacts with participants
The operative team will invite the participants, in the most suitable way, to consider the following:
The invitation must clearly show the relevance of the workshop in fulfilling a common objective or interest and the resulting benefits.
It should emphasize institutional and participants commitments before, during and after the workshop.
The invitation should be signed by relevant and respected figures from the horticultural sector whith good summoning power.
To plan an appropriate agenda, the following reference documents should be taken as examples:
Preworkshop Questionnaire (Annex 2)
Terms of Reference (Annex 3)
- Selecting the appropriate location
In addition to elements facilitating the workshop such as pleasant surroundings, adequate lighting, supporting equipment (multimedia data show projector, slide projector and screen); adequate communication facilities (fax, internet, telephone, computers and printer) and suitable transportation participants should meet in a more or less secluded location, away from distractions in order to help concentration. These elements may strain the budget; therefore participating institutions should be encouraged to provide them.
- Training materials
A copy of this Manual must be given to each trainer together with relevant publications and reference materials for reading and studying. Sometimes it will only be necessary to provide the work sheets and document required for the activities.
- Other required materials
folder with paper sheets
pencil and/or pen
nametags
registration form
contact list for participants and trainers
The following must be available at all times:
rota folio
dry pens (for team work)
digital projector (two, one replacement)
slide projector
screen (wide and in good condition)
facilities for photocopying work sheets and handouts staplers, clips, etc.
computer and printer
Necessary for initial steps:
Results from the preworkshop questionnaire (completed by the participants).
List of participants: name tags and folders.
Opening ceremony: short and as simple as possible.
Introduction to the workshop: explanation of contents and methodology.
- Evaluation and final report
Responsibilities for delivery and collection of the workshop evaluation forms must be previously defined. The final report, which evaluates the workshop, should include an analysis of the replies produced by the participants in order to allow for adjustments regarding future editions. See Evaluation Form (Annex 4), used in a subregional workshop.
- Agenda
The workshop must have an agenda, familiar to the participants beforehand. As an example, an agenda for subregional workshops is included.
- Example of an agenda:
AGENDA
SECTION 1. Introduction to the Workshop
Monday, March 10
8:00 am |
Participants registration. Workshop opening ceremony |
8:30 am |
Introduction of the participants |
9:00 am |
Agenda for the workshop, objectives and working methodologies |
10:00 am |
Break |
- Participants commitments
As a follow-up to the workshop, participants should produce an action plan (with procedures and a time frame) to achieve specific commitments. Some commitments for a subregional workshop are:
Design a country plan to multiply the training received (with dates for the workshop, beneficiaries and strategies to measure impact, etc.).
Coordinate the country plan with different public and private agents.
Train and evaluate the impact.
Prepare a final project evaluation report showing results achieved.
Prepare a proposal for a National Action Plan to implement a quality assurance and safety program for fresh fruits and vegetables.
To report advances in the implementation of the action plan (working schedule), as well as with the required support and consultancies, participants may contact the appropriate personnel.
Backstopping activities with the participants are useful to assess the impact of the workshop and the advances in the activities established in the plan.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
(FAO) |
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Activities |
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Pre-workshop activities |
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Preliminary contacts with host institutions |
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Assemble the team (workshop organizers) |
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Define team members responsibilities |
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Prepare workshop budget/sources of funding |
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Contact lecturers and prepare terms of reference |
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Prepare training materials |
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Identify and invite participants |
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Selection of participants |
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Analysis of pre workshop questionnaire results |
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Workshops logistic aspects |
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Equipment (digital projector, slide projector, screen, etc) |
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Printing name tags, registration forms, evaluation formats, etc |
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Workshop activities |
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Registration of participants and distribution of workshop materials |
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Logistic aspects |
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Logistic aspects (equipment, etc.) |
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handing in evaluation forms and other documents |
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Post-workshop activities |
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Prepare workshop report |
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Prepare correspondence |
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Monitor action plans |
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Evaluate workshop impact |
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ANNEX 2: PRE-WORKSHOP QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Participant: Please return this form completed, before
the 00/00/00, to........... (e-mail address).
The information
provided will help to achieve the objectives of the workshop. Your cooperation
is sincerely appreciated.
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Name of the company, institution or
centre:...................................
Mailing
address:..................................................................................
E-mail
address:....................................................................................
Telephone
number:..............................................................................
Fax
number:........................................................................................
Name:..................................................................................................
Position:..............................................................................................
Responsibilities
relating to quality assurance and food
safety:
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
Importance assigned to your participation in the workshop for
the country and for the
company/institution/centre:
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
Expected results from the
workshop
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
B. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF THE HORTICULTURAL SECTOR
This section gives the significance of the horticultural sector for the country and includes information on the:
share in the gross products (country and/or agricultural gross products);
share in employment generation (in production and handling);
exports of horticultural produce (with the evolution in value of exports throughout several years);
share of exports as a percentage of the total value of agricultural exports;
evolution of cultivated land, production and the internal market; export markets for produce;
land tenure in horticultural production (share of family owned and small-scale agriculture);
evolution of specialized retail markets (expansion of supermarkets, hypermarkets, delicatessens, etc.);
strengthening the organized trade relations between suppliers buyers (purchase under contracts, production planning, etc.); opportunities and challenges for growth and modernization in horticulture.
C. CURRENT COUNTRY INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES (PUBLIC AND PRIVATE) FOR SAFETY AND QUALITY IN HORTICULTURE
1. Relevant strengths for development and modernization of quality and safety issues in horticulture:
Participants are invited to enumerate relevant assets, such as existing strategies, policies, programs, institutional, governmental and entrepreneurial projects addressing quality and safety issues for fresh fruits and vegetables.
2. Relevant weaknesses that limit the development and modernization of quality and safety issues in horticulture:
Participants will enumerate country liabilities and obstacles occurring in safety and quality issues, such as: low institutional integration, inadequate technical capacities available, low entrepreneurial commitment and producers with low motivation.
3. Exemplify country strengths and weaknesses in horticulture quality and safety issues.
Participants will illustrate the opportunities resulting from quality assurance and safety programs in horticulture and the risks ensuing should these procedures be unsuccessful.
ANNEX 3: TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THE SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOP
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to strengthen the institutional capacities (both public and private) of the Latin American & Caribbean countries to implement programs for food safety and quality assurance in the area of fresh fruits and vegetables, using the GAP, GMP and HACCP approaches.
INVITATION
Government agencies, research organizations, cooperation agencies, capacity building and technology transfer institutes, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), production and trading boards and centres for technology promotion are invited to participate in the subregional workshop on quality assurance and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. They are also invited to multiply national courses for trainers and to lead working teams in the country to assist in the implementation of quality assurance programs in horticulture.
PARTICIPANTS COMMITMENTS
1. Participants, as inputs to the workshop, will:
produce a concise country frame of reference for the horticultural sector (including recent growth rates, export markets, export volumes, outline of producers, relations between producers exporters);
identify country quality assurance activities and related governmental, institutional and/or entrepreneurial policies underway for the fresh fruits and vegetables sector;
describe briefly the assets and liabilities in implementing country quality assurance programmes in horticulture.
The participants selected will forward the completed questionnaire before............. to: [email protected]; fax number +390657054593 (FAO, Rome).
2. Once the regional workshop is concluded, participants are committed to:
design a plan to multiply the training received in each country, (with dates, beneficiaries, impact assessing strategies, etc.); coordinate this plan with the relevant private and public agencies in each country;
complete the training courses and assess the impact;
prepare a final report evaluating process and results;
design a draft "Action Plan" to enforce a quality assurance programmes for fresh fruits and vegetables.
INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENTS
Each participating institution should sign a letter of commitment, agreeing to support, within the established period, the training program activities.
COSTS AND FINANCING
FAO will cover the costs for lodging and meals for the public sector participants, attending national and subregional workshops.
SELECTING THE PARTICIPANTS
Five participants from each country will be selected. Selection will be based on institutional alignments with the objectives of the workshop and the endorsement of the required commitments.
ANNEX 4 - SUBREGIONAL WORKSHOP: WORKSHOP EVALUATION FORM
Please answer the following questions in order to evaluate the workshop and to allow for improvements in future workshops.
I. FACILITIES AND SET-UP
|
YES |
NO |
1. Was the room adequate? |
||
2. Were seats well placed? |
||
3. Could you see and listen well? |
||
4. Were the morning and afternoon sessions properly distributed? |
Suggestions for future workshops:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
II. ORGANIZATION
5. How was the agenda organized (subjects and timing)?:
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
6. Background and training materials received were:
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
7. What is your opinion of the workshop?
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
III. EXPECTATIONS
8. Up to what point has the workshop fulfilled your expectations?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
9. Can it be applied to your work?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
IV. CONTENTS
10. Was the time frame for each section adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
11. Which topics were presented with the required degree of detail and which were not?
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
12. What is your opinion of the workshop?
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
Comments:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
V. LECTURERS
14. Topic: Importance of the horticultural sector in Latin America & the Caribbean
a. Knowledge
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
b. Presentation skills
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
c. Subject development
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
d. Were the materials delivered suitable?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
e. Was the use of teaching resources adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
f. Was participation encouraged?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
g. Did any of the subjects leave you unsure or uneasy?
|
|
Yes |
No |
If your reply is Yes, please specify:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
15. Topic: Quality maintenance and enhancement throughout the fresh fruits and vegetables chain
a. Knowledge
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
b. Presentation skills
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
c. Subject development
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
d. Were the materials delivered adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
e. Was the use of teaching resources adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
f. Was participation encouraged?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
g. Did any one of the subjects leave you unsure or uneasy?
|
|
Yes |
No |
If your reply is Yes, please specify:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
16. Topic: Applying food safety principles to the fresh fruits and vegetables chain
a. Knowledge
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
b. Presentation skills
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
c. Subject development
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
d. Were the materials delivered adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
e. Was the use of teaching resources adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
f. Was participation encouraged?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
g. Did any of the subjects leave you unsure or uneasy?
|
|
Yes |
No |
If your reply is Yes, please specify:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
17. Topic: The importance of certifications and other quality schemes for the horticultural sector
a. Knowledge
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
b. Presentation skills
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
c. Subject development
Excellent |
Satisfactory |
Not satisfactory |
d. Were the materials delivered adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
e. Was the use of teaching resources adequate?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
f. Was participation encourage?
Completely |
Partially |
Scarcely |
g. Did any one of the subjects leave you unsure or uneasy?
|
|
Yes |
No |
If your reply is Yes, please specify:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
GENERAL COMMENTS:
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
.................................................................................................
Your cooperation is appreciated.