| Saturday, 04
August 2007 |
|
News written by
Gwynne Foster
|
SMEs in food production and
processing can be competitive with the adherence
to traceability requirements.
SMEs Focus Magazine
Danida has supported traceability
initiatives in Tanzania since mid-2004, through
the Business Sector Programme Support (BSPS) II
programme. The SME Competitiveness sub-component
has its focus on private sector consultants who
engage with SM Es. The traceability training
arranged by the SME Competitiveness Facility (SCF)
has thus aimed to facilitate development of the
necessary traceability skills and capacity of
business development organizations and private
sector consultants who work with farmers and SME
companies.
The SME Competitive Facility (SCF)
arranged a Traceability ICT Course at the Dar es
Salaam International Conference Centre from
25—29 September 2006, as part of the
BSPS II Improved Access to Markets programme.
This was the third major traceability training
event arranged and/or supported by SCF in
2006, and an important step in an ongoing
drive to develop the traceability competence and
capacity of organizations and consultants
working with agricultural SMEs and export supply
chain companies.
Why traceability
International food safety and
food hygiene regulations and trade standards
require that all food is traceable to source,
and that movements of food products through
supply chains can be tracked “from farm to fork”
and traced “from fork to farm”. Traceability is
also a key element of phytosanitary requirements
of importing countries, which are designed to
prevent the spread of pests and disease. In the
event of a problem, authorities and businesses
must quickly access and report on information
relating to whatever conditions are relevant to
the specific situation.
Companies that produce process
and handle food products that are destined for
export to the European Union and other major
Northern Hemisphere markets are required to keep
and retain more detailed records than was
previously the case, supported by appropriate
operational and information systems. There are
obvious benefits when supply chain and trading
partners adopt a common, practical chain- wide
product identification and information
communication standard. Most traceability
workgroups and guidelines recommend GS1
standards for traceability of all food
commodities. The GS1 standards are widely used
in packaged goods industries e.g. bar codes on
grocery items and toiletries that are scanned at
point of sale are GS1 standard bar codes.
Retailers and retailer associations support GS1
as traceability best practice.
Agricultural industries and
companies in many developing countries that
supply products to sophisticated markets and
customers lack information and communications
technology (ICT) infrastructure and the
associated skills and capacity. Traceability of
agricultural products is a new requirement, and
there is a global shortage of experienced
agricultural Supply chain traceability analysts
and system implementers. This situation is
compounded by the fact that standards are still
evolving and hence there is a lack of accredited
supply chain traceability qualifications.
It is thus important that
countries and industries evaluate the
implications of the techno-trading climate that
is developing on the back of food safety and
traceability, and strategies to meet and beat
the challenges. Individual producers, food
processors and supply companies must similarly
understand how and when their businesses might
be affected, and prepare for traceability in
good time. Too often, smaller supply chain
companies get caught up in last minute
must-do-must-have dictates from a valued
customer or influential trading partner. Such
implementations are likely to be resented,
costly and inefficient, with the supplier doing
the bare minimum that is needed to retain a
business relationship. Companies that are unable
to meet the requirements and standards within
the time allowed run the risk of being cut out
of the supply chain.
The Product Quality Improvement
sub-component of BPSP II is working with the
public sector, mainly TIRDO and the Ministry of
Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives.
Products considered are cashew nuts, coffee, tea
and fish.
Overview of the SCF Traceability
ICT course
The overall objective of the
Traceability ICT training was to provide a
detailed understanding of food traceability
information and systems, within the context of
Tanzania’s agricultural industries, information
environment and aims and aspirations.
Barbara Steenstrup led the SCF
team representation and facilitated discussions
relating to future activities. Sosthenes Sambua
coordinated arrangements and is the main SCF
contact regarding traceability. Anastazia Silayo
was the course administrator and provided
secretarial support. Their combined efforts
enabled the event to take place.
Gwynne Foster, who facilitates
the South African Fresh Produce Traceability
Project, worked closely with SCF in compiling
the programme, and led the training. Other
trainers were:
- Dr Rose Anne Mohamed (“Dr Rose”), from the
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and
Cooperatives, who presented Tanzania’s position
with regard to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
agreements and the Tanzanian traceability
programme, and led related discussions and panel
sessions. Dr Rose represented the traceability
group that has developed and operates under the
Product Quality Improvement sub-component of the
BSPS II Programme. In addition to the Ministry
of Agriculture, the group comprises the Tanzania
Bureau of Standards (TBS) and Tanzania
Industrial Research and Development Organisation
(TIRDO).
- Glyn Fogell from Shoprite
(South Africa), who presented retailer
expectations with regard to product
identification and bar coding, and who led a
retail workshop.
- Joseph Nyongesa and
Rosemary Amondi from GS1 Kenya, who presented
GS1 standards and their adoption by East African
companies, and jointly conducted the retail
workshop.
- Alan Steele from TraceAll
(UK), who presented European Union and business
expectations. TraceAll case studies were used to
illustrate the business benefits achieved by
appropriate application of traceability
information and communication technologies and
systems.
Other key presenters were:
- Carsten Nilaus Pedersen,
Ambassador of Denmark, opened the course.
- Eng. August Kowero,
Coordinator of Communications in the Ministry of
Infrastructure Development, who presented
Tanzanian ICT Policy and discussed the EASSy
sub-sea communications cable system.
- Mr. Obadiah Msalci,
Tanzania Bureau of Standards, who presented
Codex Alimentarius in relation to traceability.
- Brief introductory
presentations from ICT companies that
participated in a panel discussion.
- Mr. Peniel Lyimo, the
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of
Agriculture Food Security and Cooperatives,
closed the course.
- Thirty-five people from a
broad selection of backgrounds participated in
the course. Although some participants had
attended previous training, traceability was a
new subject for many. Some people participated
for a limited time only, e.g. in the bar coding
workshop or ICT discussions.
The big question during the
course was “What next?” Various working groups,
suggestions, debates and panel discussions took
up the question. Course participants were each
issued a CD containing the content of the
presentations and supportive documents
The week concluded with a
“traceability evening” hosted by the British
Council Management Forum. Gwynne and Dr Rose
Mohamed were guest speakers, with Dr Ludovick
Manege from TIRDO concluding the discussion with
an update on plans for the Tanzanian
traceability programme. Course contributors and
participants were invited to attend the evening.
Outcomes
and considerations
From the feedback received from
participants, the course achieved its overall
objectives. There was great appreciation for the
bar coding workshop, and the vision of what is
being achieved by small-scale operators and with
the discussions on and application of
information technologies. There was also a
strong awareness of the challenge that lies
ahead, and feedback received during the course
will be valuable in planning the next steps.
The course did not satisfy
individual needs for detailed information and
practical hands-on experience. There were
questions on appropriate qualifications, how
best to engage with existing clients and
communities regarding the need for traceability,
and income generating consultative activities.
There was lively debate about the nature of the
structures needed to support traceability
initiatives, how the government and private
sector could work together, the timely release
of information about the government’s
traceability programme and plans, the need for a
“GS1 Tanzania”, and the role that SCF might play
in future. It was agreed in principle that the
existing traceability steering group should
incorporate interested participants from the
present course.
Looking
ahead
A big question regarding
traceability of agricultural products in
Tanzania is how to initiate meaningful change
and action at all levels - national, industry,
supply chain and company or individual producer.
There is awareness of the need for and
importance of traceability, and an excellent
collective appreciation of the subject.
Considerable groundwork has already been
completed. Organic commodities, such as coffee
and tea, provide precedents. The skills of the
public sector and private sector traceability
groups, and their respective areas of
responsibility and operation, are complementary
and should be harnessed as part of a national
traceability programme. ICT companies that
participated in the SCF training expressed
excitement at the prospect of a new and
forward-looking industry movement that will
increase demands for their products and
services...
Nevertheless, bridging between
the large number of government departments,
industry organisations and private companies
involved with food production and supply chain
traceability is a challenge. Further,
implementing traceability brings challenges of
new procedures, increased disciplines and
additional up-front costs. Small-scale Companies
need sometimes to be encouraged to change, and
also need to know that there is genuine concern
about their position and committed efforts to
find achievable and affordable solutions and
support. Converting thought into successful
implementation will require detailed assessments
of scope and capacity, clear objectives, willing
parties, committed resources and strong
leadership at all levels. Apart from
opportunities that might be identified by the
respective groups, there would be value in
creating a receptive over-arching environment
for planning and progressing discussions.
Source from SCF
