Raising Labeling and Packaging Standards in Guyana

By -

The areas of labeling and packaging continue to be a challenge to many agro-processor and  exporter clients of the Guyana Marketing Cooperation (GMC). With the recent development of an Agriculture Business Development Incubator at the Corporation, there was a dire need to have staff capacity developed in these areas. Therefore, Dr. Melvin Pascall, a Professor in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Ohio State University volunteered for two weeks under the Farmer-to-Farmer Program in October 2019.

Dr. Pascall, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago and has a Guyanese grandmother, in an interview with the local newspaper Stabroek news mentioned that his assignment in Guyana derived from a personal commitment which he had made to raising standards in the region; as attaining labeling and packaging standards will facilitate the access of the local agro-processing industry to international markets. During his assignment, he assisted over 162 people, including small-scale food processors and exporters located in various cities and towns around the country.  

Dr. Pascall also met with representatives of the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department, the Guyana National Bureau of Standards, the University of Guyana, and the Guyana School of Agriculture and conducted a session with local exporters interested in accessing the Canadian market. Outside of his various training and sensitization assignments he also held discussions with agro-processors, farmers, and officials of specialized local institutions on a range of issues.



Recommendations were made for GMC to select two or three small food processors who show willingness to scale-up their operations and who have the potential for it and arrange for another Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer to work with them to mechanize their operations. Also to arrange a meeting with academics and policymakers in the government to ask them to consider the impact of anticipated increases in revenue (from oil) and how it could be used to encourage industries such as papermaking and metal smelting amongst others. 

The Professor quoted that “One of the main functions of packaging is the protection of food, drugs and pharmaceutical products from biological, chemical and physical contamination. My 28 years of experience in food packaging will be an asset to this center. In addition to this, my research in food contact surface sanitation also adds to the assets of the center. This collaboration provides me with the opportunity to network with faculty members from other colleges and departments. It also allows my graduate students to gain experience in the use of equipment and analytical techniques that are not available in my home department”.  

Before his departure, Dr. Pascall visited Berbice, East Bank Demerara, along with several staff members from GMC and the Ministry of Agriculture to attend a tree-planting ceremony hosted by the President of Guyana, Brigadier David Granger, which is an annual event to encourage citizens of Guyana to grow food and promote sustainability. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Better Marketing and Communications to Showcase the Work of our Hosts in Colombia

By -
Image
Salva Terra Foundation has focused on supporting vulnerable communities through sustainable agriculture. They work with impoverished populations and victims of violence in Medellin and aim to promote farming and develop local skills to work in the agricultural industry in an ecological manner. This process of bringing together concepts such as social impact, sustainable development, environmental protection, and food security requires excellent outreach and promotion. Therefore, they requested a F2F volunteer to help them develop a communication and marketing plan. The chosen volunteer for this assignment was Dr. Sindy Chapa. She has a B.A. in Mass Media Communications, with a Minor in Television and Art Design, an MBA, and Ph.D. in International Business/Marketing. She is the Director and Associate Professor at the Center for Hispanic Marketing Communication at Florida State University and has won several communications awards. Dr. Chapa decided to use Salva Terra as one of the case
Read more

My First Goat: A Professor, Students, and some Goats Tackle Food Insecurity in Rural Guatemala

By -
Image
Two Worlds Come Together to Build New Solutions against Malnutrition What does a USAID-funded Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) expert volunteer group from the island of Puerto Rico have to do with combatting food insecurity in Guatemala? Everything.  F2F volunteer Gabriela Colón Rios trains Mam Indigenous women to better care for their goats which will improve food security and reduce high malnourishment rates. Chiantla, Guatemala. Photo Credit: Monica Gonzalez In March 2023, a group of five eager F2F volunteers arrived in Huehuetenango (Huehue), Guatemala, with hearts and minds set on combatting food insecurity in a part of the world unknown to them.  Over the next 10 days, this team of experts would consider Huehue, in Guatemala’s Western Highland region, their new home and office. Accompanying them on their mission would be faithful companions and mighty conduits of change: goats.  Communities in this region live at altitudes reaching 10,000 feet above sea level nestled by captivating mountai
Read more

Digital Marketing in Colombia

By -
Image
Digital Marketing is one way that entrepreneurs and producers across the globe can reach new markets and increase sales. But what is digital marketing and how can a small Colombian business use it to maximize the number of people who come across its brand? These are the questions that Zen Naturals was asking itself. Zen Naturals is a natural cosmetic manufacturing company based in Cali, Colombia. Zen Naturals develops natural cosmetics made from exotic ingredients from Colombia’s outstanding biodiversity. Through ethical manufacturing and fair trade practices, they are also taking a leadership role in re-investing in the communities that grow the ingredients used in their products. Currently, Zen Naturals supports more than 95 Colombian quinoa farming communities through Fair-Trade Practices and technical assistance on their production. Zen Naturals is preparing to launch their quinoa facial care products in Whole Foods Markets in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. in 2017.
Read more