Food service pros learn about traceability systems

Ensuring that persons involved in the food industry learn about issues relating to traceability, how this can be used to their benefit, how they can enhance their production processes and how they can increase their global competitiveness among other things is 

important.

 

IICA Representative, Barbados, Ena Harvey said that these are just some of the reasons why Barbados is hosting approximately 30 private sector and public sector professionals – owners of food plants, managers and supervisors; Quality Control/Quality Assurance Professionals; logistics, Operations and Production Personnel; and Technical Service Personnel from 12 of the 15 CARIFORUM Countries.

 

“At the end of the course, participants are expected to be able to learn the basic principles of traceability; discover how to make your traceability investment work to your advantage; evaluate how you currently collect and manage traceability information; identify opportunities for continuous improvement of your processes in order to gain added value through better supply chain management; reduced costs, improved profit margins, increased efficiencies and greater market potential; explain ways that you can enhance your competitive advantage; and exchange real-world “best-practice” advice with other industry professionals and experienced instructors.”

 

Delivering remarks at the Capacity Building of Public Sector Professionals and Private Sector Stakeholders in Traceability Systems, opening ceremony recently at the Accra Beach Hotel and Spa, Harvey stated, that some of the objectives that they hope to achieve from this two day session are having a cohort of professionals trained in such areas as traceability at both the public and private sector levels.

 

“Specific outcomes from the action include at the level of the Public Sector – Increased number of regulatory professionals and technicians trained in traceability and available to offer services to stakeholders and at the level of the Private Sector - Increased number of industry professionals and technicians trained in traceability with an increased number of firms/operations implementing traceability systems, such that, there is increased access to export markets and the production of safe, high quality food.”

 

Reminding persons in attendance that the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) Project is just one aspect of the tenth EDF Programme in their “Support to the Caribbean Forum of ACP States in the Implementation of Commitments Undertaken Under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)”, the IICA Representative Barbados, stated that this project would assist CARIFORUM nations to enhance their chances of gaining access to the international markets.

 

“As you are aware, this SPS project is one component of the tenth EDF Programme titled “Support to the Forum of Caribbean States in the implementation of the commitments 

undertaken under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).”

 

The SPS component seeks to assist CARIFORUM States to gain and improve market access by complying with Europe’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures and to develop/strengthen regionally harmonised SPS measures.”