Background
Bangladesh, Egypt and Lebanon face considerable food safety and quality challenges. To increase productivity and profitability in the agriculture sectors, Land O’Lakes International Development is implementing F2F FSQ to address the important issues of food safety and quality with highly qualified volunteers. Volunteers assist and train others on good agricultural, veterinary and manufacturing practices in order to improve the local food safety protocols and quality assurance systems from “field-to-fork.” The program will aim to work with agro-processors, associations, producers, exporters and other partners and assist them in achieving greater market access. Volunteers and the country staff work in each country to increase the awareness of the Farmer-to-Farmer program to build deeper connections to the communities we are supporting. We also support, coach and mentor our returned volunteers on how they can best share their experiences with personal and professional networks.
Problem Statement
A Bangladesh host is selling farmers’ produce to the urban consumers through its online platform. The host was regularly collecting produce such as vegetables, poultry, fruits etc. from their selected contract farmers. Based on this experience the host is gradually expanding its farmer base through building partnership with local NGO and projects, who provide technical support as well as organize the farmers. Recently, the host built a partnership with “Shommonnito Polly Unnayon Kendro”, who are working with pineapple producers. The host and its partner envision exporting pineapples by building a safe pineapple supply chain. Since the pineapple farmers are currently producing without knowledge of safe production practices, the host is seeking volunteer support to train their pineapple producers on Good Agricultural Practices.
Objectives of Assignment
Objective:
To train pineapple producers on good agricultural practices. .
Scope
Good Agricultural Practices refers to procedures (and attendant documentation) that must be implemented to create food for consumers or further processing that is safe and wholesome, using sustainable methods. Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is a systems approach for food safety risk management. GAPs are the conditions, growing practices, and harvesting practices recommended for minimizing risk of microbial contamination to produce safe produces.
The host and its partner organization is supporting pineapple producers in producing pineapple using organic manure and is helping the producers in marketing and branding it as safe pineapple. The host organization aims to train the producers on Good Agricultural Practices with proper documentation.
Under this scope the volunteer will train the producers on the implementation needs associated with Good Agricultural Practices. The volunteer will also assist with the creation of a food safety plan covering the following topics:
- Farm operation and farm facilities
- Manure storage and handling
- Animal exclusion (domestic & wild)
- Irrigation and drainage management
- Agricultural inputs
- Equipment sanitation
- Harvest and postharvest handling
- Employee training program
- Restroom & hand washing facilities
- Traceability system
- Crisis management strategy
Deliverables
Each volunteer must submit a Final Report to the F2F Program, which includes the following sections:
- Training slides to train producers on good agricultural practices.
- A brief assignment report describing how the host staffs has been oriented and a section listing the assignment objectives above and how they were met or why they were not met.
- A short summary of the assignment with relevant photos that can be posted on the F2F volunteer blog.
This is a remote volunteer position.
The recruited volunteer is expected to have the following skills and qualifications:
- Educational Background: Bachelor’s in Food Science, or equivalent
- More than 5 years of practical knowledge and experience in implementing food safety and quality standards
- Experience in training
- More than 2 years of experience in conducting food safety trainings
- Good writing and computer skills
- Familiar with conducting remote trainings
