Abstract:

The horticultural trade is an important driver for economic growth in many countries, and PIP helps ACP exports reach their full potential by assisting producers and exporters to meet the demands of the EU market. While export horticulture is the main focus, outputs are adapted to local and regional markets wherever possible to also benefit ACP consumers. Regulatory requirements, and in particular phytosanitary quality standards change rapidly. As ACP producers/exporters race to become more competitive, to keep their market share and to satisfay their customers’ commercial demands (e.g. GLOBAL-GAP certification), the need for competent staff who are aware of the company’s quality objectives and trained to follow instructions is crucial. Mastering sanitary quality is only possible if matched with a programme to build the skills of companies’s human resources. PIP is a European cooperation programme managed by COLEACP. It is financed by the European Development Fund and implemented at the request of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean and Pacific) Group of States. The first phase of PIP ran from 2001 to 2009 with the objectives of enabling ACP companies to comply with European food safety and traceability requirements and consolidating the position of small-scale producers in the ACP horticultural export sector. The PIP Tool Box gives users permanent access to a wealth of information and useful documents on food safety, traceability and good agricultural practices in relation to European regulations. It contains: a pesticides database, crop protocols or production guides, an interactive training area that can be used for self-training and self-assessment in seven PIP subjects, training modules, a glossary that gives definitions of the most important terms used in the key areas of food safety, a video library containing around 20 extracts presenting the main ways of applying plant protection products, a photo library giving access to more than 600 annotated photos, concerning cultivation practices, crop enemies and so on. The PIP Tool Box has been used to train ACP experts and middle managers. The poster summarizes the experience after 4 years of training and skills assessment of ACP people.

Keywords:

Food Safety, e-learning, capacity building.