Prosper Cashew organizes first session of PCQI training

From August 9-11 and from September 5-7 Prosper Cashew organized two (02) Preventive Controls Qualified Individuals (PCQI) training for staff of partner processors in Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

According to the US Food & Drug Administration, every food processing facility is required to have a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI) on staff to manage their food safety preventive controls program.

The PCQI certificate is a requirement for companies that wish to export to the United States. Prosper Cashew organized an advanced training in order to provide staff from partners processing companies with the skills needed to successfully navigate the complicated process of developing, writing and maintaining a Food Safety Plan. 20-hour training program was led by a PCQI and BRC certified lead instructor hired by TechnoServe.

By the end of the two separate training sessions, a total of 20 individuals have been trained, including key staff of cashew processing factories supported by Prosper Cashew in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria.

“The training was intensive, exciting and above all participative, with a patient, available and very experienced trainer. Several workshops were held to discuss the realities in the plants and to provide practical examples. The trainer involved everyone during the training. In the current phase of construction of some partner plants, it is important to understand the need to take ownership of the requirements of this approach now for a better implementation of their preventive food safety systems for the marketing of future products.” Leon Kassikan, cashew processing Factory Administrator