Purpose: The purpose of these training programs was to develop basic food safety knowledge and skills in MAIL, MoPH, and select industry personnel to begin the process of increasing food safety and export potential in Afghanistan.
Methods: A food safety education needs assessment was conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan in February 2012. Food safety trainings tailored to current conditions in Afghanistan were developed. Two trainings conducted in Kabul focused on (i) introductory food safety (Good Agriculture Practices, Good Manufacturing Practices, and basic HACCP), and (ii) basic sanitation for MAIL, MoPH, and industry personnel. An intensive 3-week basic food microbiology laboratory training program was conducted in Ankara, Turkey for 10 MAIL and MoPH government officers. Pre-and post-training assessments were conducted for all training programs.
Results: A total of 27, 38, and 10 MAIL, MoPH, or industry personnel were trained in the Introductory Food Safety, Basic Sanitation, and Basic food microbiology trainings, respectively. In each training there was a statistically significant increase in understanding of the training materials (paired t-test; P < 0.05). Each cohort indicated need for (i) continued training in these areas to improve their ability to train others and (ii) increased laboratory capacity.
Significance: These training programs are part of foundational effort to rebuild knowledge and regulatory capacity in the Afghan MAIL and MoPH, which will ultimately lead to increased food security through enhanced food safety.