Project description

Title: Quality Management in Date Production (PPP)
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Tunisia
Partner: Vitaterra AG of Offenburg, Germany
Overall term: August 2002 to July 2004

Context

Date production is an important export factor in Tunisia’s agricultural sector. However, farmers, traders and processing companies are increasingly confronted with the problem that foreign buyers stipulate compliance with strict quality standards for the processing and marketing chain without clearly communicating the specific requirements. As there is no binding, traceable and sustainable quality control system in place, uncertainties arise on all sides. Time and time again, smallholders and traders experience poor production or purchase poor products, resulting in painful loss of sales and income. The German trading company Vitaterra has been active in Tunisia for many years and would like to contribute towards markedly improving this situation.

Objective

Dates are cultivated, processed and marketed in Tunisia in accordance with a uniform quality management system.

Approach

With the support of GTZ, Vitaterra is putting together an extensive range of training and continuing education courses for persons involved in growing, processing and trading in dates. In a first step, suitable individuals selected from the cooperative-based trade structure receive instruction so that they become trainers and multipliers. They, in turn, will inform farmers in specific terms about problems in production while at the same time offering them possible means of plant protection and use of fertilisers that comply with the regulations governing organic farming. In the next step, Vitaterra offers training to establish and reinforce the actual quality management system as well as a system for early detection of critical aspects. One essential component of quality management addressed is the documentation required for subsequent certification as organic products.

Results achieved so far

The concept of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) has been introduced in the oases of Hazoua. HACCP is a systematic preventive approach to food safety intended to rule out health hazards posed by foodstuffs. In Hazoua today, 120 small farmers have adopted Demeter specifications and grow certified organic date products that are protected against insects by netting – without use of pesticides. They are now market leaders in terms of product quality. Vitaterra AG markets the products at fair-trade conditions in Europe, and is building a Europe-wide sales network. The quality management system has also been applied to olive production in the vicinity of Sfax.

Improving production and sales possibilities has improved the income opportunities of smallholders and traders while simultaneously stabilising and modernising Tunisia’s agricultural sector.

Further information

• Vitaterra AG
  www.vitaterra.com
• HACCP approach
  www.haccp.de