Training on Flower quality along the value chain

Last week, from June 25th to 28th, 2024, Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) and Q-Point B.V. teamed up to train FPEAK members and teachers from the Kenya School of Agriculture on Flower quality along the chain.

What was the training about?

During the week, trainer Patrick Musyoki focused on the Kenya Standard 1785:2016 and False Codling Moth (FCM) protocols. Creating awareness about the KS 1785:2016 is important, because the role of quality management is crucial in in sustainable production. Addressing FCM, a quarantine pest affecting the industry, the training provided insights on improving management from production sites to packhouses.

Trainer Alma Ruting focussed on quality control, postharvest management, quality standards and vase life testing of flowers. Quality control plays an import role in the different parts of the flower chain. QC is not only about the quality of the flowers, but includes also vase life testing and phytosanitary control (e.g. control on FCM).

International traders, who are a member of FSI (Floriculture Sustainability Standard) require sustainability standards who fits in the FSI-basket. Alma gave explanation about the FSI-basket and different standards like GLOBALG.A.P. and MPS-standards.

Interesting discussions arose during the training sessions, leading the participants to share their knowledge and expertise from the field and helping each other to improve.

Field visit to Shalimar

On the third day, the team was received with open arms by Shalimar (part of East African Growers), a company based in Naivasha focusing on the production of roses. During the tour, we were able to see all the aspects of propagation, production, grading, sorting, packing and vase life testing. We saw the important role of quality control in the whole process. How control on FCM was in practice and we were discussing the different standards for export and we had a good discussion about waste-management.

On the last day we looked back at the company visit and we were discussing about what we have learned, which improvements we saw for the company and what we take back to our own organisations.