UNIDO organized a Seven-day Training of Trainers on Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) for three public partners in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP) under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded Project for Agri-food and Agro-industry Development (PAFAID) in Islamabad from 06-14 June 2022.

The objective of the training was to reinforce food safety compliance by building the capacity of the local regulatory authorities in GHP and GAHP and halal food standards. The training is designed and delivered by the international experts, Ms. Madeleine Smith (UNIDO’s Senior Expert in Food Safety and Inspection Practices), and Mr. Michele Gallo (UNIDO’s Senior Expert in Food Safety and Inspection Practices), from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. Senior officials and experts from the KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA), the Livestock and Dairy Development Department (L&DD), and the Local Council Board (LCB) attended the training.

These participants earlier received training in specialized courses on food safety through the PAFAID e-learning platform and in-person training conducted by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) trainers in KP,followed by a hands-on practical session in a local slaughterhouse for hands-on learning regarding the best practices and inspection for slaughterhouse operations. This training enabled the participants to make informed decisions using the case studies of the local scene for inspection and then filling out the inspection checklists.

Addressing the trainees, Dr. Abdul Sattar Shah (Director Technical KPFS&HFA) encouraged active participation in learning the food safety best practices and called for rolling out these training in their districts. He added that by adopting these SOPs we will be able to produce quality meat for the domestic market and exports. He appreciated the inspection checklists developed and provided by international experts.