Facilitator on EU/UK Market Requirements for Packhouse Operators

SCOPE OF WORK (SOW)

Position: Local Consultant (Training for packhouse operators on EU/UK market regulations, detection of target pests, packhouse operations and management, documentary compliance, and traceability)

Period of Performance: June 1 – July 31, 2024

Total Level of Effort: LOE 10 days

Activity Background:

Feed the Future Ghana Trade and Investment Activity (GTI) is a 5-year project aimed at growing and diversifying exports to boost national GDP and household income for Ghanaian citizens through the adoption and enforcement of internationally recognized standards along agricultural value chains, the reduction in time and cost to move goods across borders, and increased investment, especially among small and medium enterprises.

Consultancy Background:

A significant component of GTI is to improve the quality of high-value agricultural goods and products by improving Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) compliance at the farm level, strengthening traceability systems, incentivizing SME awareness and use of these systems, and ensuring that the enforcement of SPS standards aligns at the national and international levels. To do this, the project is collaborating with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) through the Plant Protection Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) to organize training for selected packhouse operators and managers on packhouse operations and management, pest detection, documentary compliance, traceability, and EU/UK market regulations.

The European Union notified exporting countries of its new Commission Implementation. The new law indicates strict requirements that exporting countries such as Ghana must meet before export commodities are allowed. In FY2024, GTI will be working with industry experts to build the capacity of packhouse operators and officials of PPRSD and FDA to ensure improvement in packhouse procedures and compliance with food safety measures and traceability requirements.

Consultancy Overview:

Selected officers from the FDA and PPRSD will be invited to participate in the training to ensure sustained knowledge among regulators and field inspectors. The training will focus on the guidelines in the revised dossier and standard operating procedures (SOPs) developed by GTI in collaboration with PPRSD for producing vegetables and fruits for the EU export market.

Packhouse operations involve the removal of unsuitable produce, sorting, grading, and packaging. Each of these steps requires efficient operation of equipment and effective skilled labor. Poor staff capacity in terms of sorting, grading, packaging, and general hygiene in packhouse operations can introduce harmful and foreign materials in the fruit and vegetable value chains. In addition to the capacity requirement for the design and layout of packhouses, the skills of enforcement staff would need to be built towards ensuring compliance with food safety measures for efficient operations.

GTI in partnership with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD/MOFA) is organizing a training for packhouse operators and inspection officials to bridge the skills gap in packhouse operations and risk management.

Objective:

The objective of this assignment is for the consultant to train 20 packhouse operators, 5 PPRSD, and 5 FDA officials. The training will ensure that the capacity of officials from the FDA and PPRSD is built to fulfill their mandate of ensuring the safe export of plants, plant materials, and agricultural commodities beyond the shores of Ghana. It is expected that the training will contribute to increased knowledge of packhouse operators in the detection of target pests, and sorting and cleaning of harvested fruits and vegetables targeted at the export markets, leading to a reduction in export rejections due to non-compliance with food safety measures at the various packhouses.

Responsibilities and Tasks:

The tasks for the consultant are:

· Hold an initial inception meeting with GTI to present a draft plan for the commencement and delivery of the proposed assignment.

· Develop a comprehensive training manual (including topics such as packhouse management, pest detection, EU/UK market regulations, documentary compliance, and traceability) for training the 20 packhouse operators, 5 PPRSD, and 5 FDA officials.

· Develop PowerPoint slides to be used in training the packhouse operators and officials from FDA and PPRSD/MOFA.

· Develop and present pre- and post-evaluation tests in collaboration with the GTI MEL Team to be used to evaluate the trainees on the percentage of knowledge gained as per GTI requirements.

· Train 30 participants on relevant topics such as EU/UK market regulations, detection of target pests, packhouse operations, and management, and documentary compliance and traceability.

· Submit a final assignment report to GTI from the training program with lessons learned and pictures.

Deliverables

· A comprehensive training manual using an approved template on the relevant training topics as jointly determined by GTI, FDA, and PPRSD.

· An inception report with on agreed timelines and sign off the final manual for training.

· 30 participants trained on the agreed materials as determined jointly by GTI, PPRSD, and FDA.

· Training report and list of trainees, including the completed pre/post evaluation tests and pictures taken during the training program (at least 30 trainees).

· End of Assignment report, including a summary of tasks undertaken and suggested next steps for the Activity using an approved template for reporting.

Qualifications

· Must have experience working in the Horticulture sector and export commodities in Ghana.

· Educational requirement: a Degree in Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crop Science, or a related field.

· Must have a minimum of 10 years of practical experience in quarantine and ISPMs, production of horticultural crops, and delivering training for farmers and agricultural officers in Ghana.

· Must have in-depth practical knowledge of the international export market, Sanitary Phyto Sanitary (SPS)SPS compliance at the packhouse, and entomological pest issues and challenges facing agricultural exporters in Ghana.

· Must have knowledge about Integrated Pest Management (IPM), pest and disease identification and management.

· Experience developing materials and delivering training on packhouse management and inspection through simple, human-centered training modules.

· Experience working on USAID-funded programs is preferred.

Location and Reporting

The assignment will take place in Koforidua. The local consultant will work closely with the Traceability Technical Advisor and report to the GTI Quality Standards Director. The expected LOE of this assignment is 10 days for all tasks, including developing training materials and delivering training for 20 packhouse operators,5 FDA and 5 PPRSD officials from June 1 to July 31, 2024.