Our Food Production and Processing Learning Pathways

Many African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries need to respond urgently to a growing number of consumers, changing relationships between urban and rural areas, and the new eating habits of these urban populations. States must also reduce undernourishment, mainly in rural areas, and respond to challenges such as climate change, access to land, conflicts and refugees. The sustainability of agricultural practices, and of the food system as a whole, must be supported to meet these challenges.

The introduction to the Global South of the intensive production model, based on mechanisation, chemical control, fertilisers, monoculture and skilled manpower, has made a significant contribution to raising productivity and improving the profitability of the ACP horticultural sector. It has enabled many countries to become competitive on international markets. Unfortunately, as in Western countries, this intensification leads to undesirable effects on the environment, particularly on soils that can deteriorate. An objective assessment informed by local experts and farmers is urgent. As risks related to agricultural practices (such as chemical control) are analysed and measured, production systems can be adjusted to become more sustainable.

It is therefore necessary to strengthen farmers' capacity to analyse the risks caused by bad practices and to respond to market pressures and environmental requirements, and to help them develop robust and resilient businesses based on integrated crop production and protection systems.

COLEACP's Sustainability Self-Assessment System is a business-management tool for fruit and vegetable producers and suppliers based in ACP countries. Value chain operators can use it to prevent bad practices, integrate good practices and consolidate the financial viability of their business. With a thorough knowledge of the impacts of agricultural practices on sustainability, the adoption of new, more sustainable production methods will be easier and faster.

The benefits generated by this shift towards greater sustainability include not only economic gains (reduced use of inputs, recovery of by-products, recycling of organic matter), but also environmental stability and social benefits. This is why soil conservation, water and energy saving, resource renewal, the fight against deforestation and the maintenance of biodiversity are at the heart of the fight against poverty. Change can be radical when producers convert their farms to organic farming, as these farmers have a much better understanding of the natural resources they manage and how they affect their businesses.

To address all these very different aspects, this course on Agricultural Production and Processing consists of five routes. Each route has two levels. The intermediate level allows you to tackle the subject and to understand the main principles, without going into all the details of implementation. Successful completion of a test will give you access to the advanced level, where you can progress in understanding the subject and address the more practical aspects of implementation (details of the steps to follow, planning of operations, procedures to implement, reporting of results, etc.).

All five routes combined will enable you to achieve a very broad level of knowledge about Agricultural Production and Processing; however, each route can be studied as a stand-alone resource.

This thematic is dedicated to all company managers (operators) responsible for production (conventional or organic), protection of the harvest, and the transport and packaging of exported products. In particular, they are responsible for ensuring compliance with general hygiene rules; monitoring the safety of their production, harvesting and packaging processes; ensuring compliance with specifications; and verifying the conformity and traceability of batches placed on the market through accompanying documentation.

Target audience: company managers responsible for the regulatory compliance of product batches (Operations Manager; Crop Manager or Production Manager; Quality and Traceability Manager; Packaging Station Manager) and compliance with specifications (e.g. Organic farming).

Rationale: production managers are responsible for choosing production and crop protection methods (chemical or alternative methods). They must ensure compliance with good agricultural and phytosanitary practices (sustainable production, health and safety rules for staff, storage rules, respect for the environment, etc.). They must also ensure that they comply with local legislation on plant protection products (PPPs) and standards (e.g. maximum residue levels, MRLs) for harvested products, as well as the requirements of adopted private voluntary standards (PVS). The implementation of a surveillance/self-monitoring system and the traceability of operations at farm level are complementary to the general inspection activities carried out by the Competent Authorities, and require training on the principles of crop production and protection.

Enhanced skills:

• Manage production units to meet productivity and efficiency requirements, while taking into account changes in regulatory and commercial requirements (particularly sustainability)
• Ensure the continuity of operations, production compliance with hygiene and quality standards, and traceability
• Continually evolve and improve the means of production and the sustainability of practices
• Collect and interpret data to manage the company; measure deviations from sustainability objectives set by the company's strategy and profitability
• Organise and facilitate internal training to strengthen the skills of production staff

This thematic is dedicated to all company middle managers (operators) or plant protection agents specifically responsible for crop protection (before sowing, during growth and after harvest) and pest control. In particular, they are responsible for monitoring plots for the presence of pests (including regulated pests) and, through observations and counts, determining whether thresholds are met (exceeding the economic damage threshold, or simply being present in a plot or lot).

Target audience: company managers or plant protection agents responsible for the regulatory compliance of product batches (production manager; crop protection manager; plant protection agents in charge of treatments to eliminate a pest).

Rationale: managers or plant protection agents are responsible for crop protection methods (chemical or alternative methods). They must ensure compliance with good plant protection practices (health and safety rules for staff, storage rules, respect for the environment, etc.). They must also ensure that they comply with local PPP legislation and standards (e.g. MRLs) for harvested products. The establishment of a surveillance/self-checking system and the traceability of operations at farm level are complementary to the general inspection activities by the Competent Authorities and require training on crop protection principles.

Enhanced skills:

• Identify different pests, including regulated pests, and understand the factors that favour them
• Choose different methods of crop protection
• Ensure crop protection by respecting good agricultural and production practices
• Organise and facilitate internal training to enhance the skills of staff responsible for the use of PPPs

Target audience:

• Service providers offering technical assistance to company managers/executives to set up integrated production systems or assist in the conversion to organic farming (in compliance with specifications and/or regulations on organic farming)
• Service providers acting as trainers and/or trainers-of-trainers or coaches to these people (training, facilitation, coaching)

Rationale:

• Provide technical assistance with extensive skills in agronomy and organic farming, as well as training skills (facilitation, coaching, communication) to be able to lead a team around a project
• Providing training (or training-of-trainers) requires the mastery of technical skills (agronomy, organic agriculture) and training skills (communication, group facilitation, coaching, assessment of trainees' skills). In line with COLEACP's cascading training system, ACP experts trained in training methods are also needed, for example to strengthen the communication skills of middle managers in companies, or inspection service managers for the internal training of inspectors (training-of-trainers, e.g. through Field Training Workshops)

Enhanced skills:

• Be familiar with sustainable production systems as well as regulatory requirements and key private voluntary standards in the field of organic agriculture and/or sustainability
• Identify the environmental impacts of certain agronomic practices (use tools such as COLEACP's Sustainability Self-Assessment System) and propose sustainable solutions
• Master the principles of GAP
• Develop and/or manage a training programme
• Facilitate training-of-trainers; coach and evaluate participants

Target audience:

• Service providers offering technical assistance to company managers and executives implementing IPM strategies, and/or public officials in charge of phytosanitary treatments (e.g. plant protection agents)
• Service providers acting as trainers and/or trainers-of-trainers or coaches to these people (training, facilitation, coaching)

Rationale:

• Provide technical assistance with both extensive crop protection skills and complementary training skills (coaching and communication) to be able to lead a team around a project
• Providing training (or training-of-trainers) requires the mastery of technical skills (in agronomy and crop protection) and training skills (communication, group facilitation, coaching, skills assessment). In line with COLEACP's cascading training system, ACP experts trained in educational methods are also needed, for example to strengthen the communication skills of middle managers in companies, or inspection service managers for the internal training of inspectors (training-of-trainers, e.g. through Field Training Workshops)

Enhanced skills:

• Know the regulatory requirements and the main private voluntary standards in crop protection (authorised PPPs, MRLs, safety, respect for the environment)
• Identify different pests (including regulated pests) and master the principles of plot monitoring
• Master the principles of good plant protection practices
• Develop and/or manage a training programme
• Facilitate training-of-trainers; coach and evaluate participants