Food Quality and Standards ServiceFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Assessing the Capacity Assessing the Capacity Building Needs of Building Needs of National Food Control National Food Control Systems Systems

New FAO Tools New FAO ToolsDr. Maya Piñeiro, Ph.D.Senior Officer /Group leader

Presentation

• Introduction.

• General approach and concepts used in both tools.

• Guidelines to assess capacity building needs.

• Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs.

• Examples/case studies.

• Conclusions.

Assessing needs: an initial step in the

capacity building processConsultation and dialogue

with stakeholders

Food safety capacity building

strategy

Food safety capacity building

activities

Negotiate resources (external / internal)

External support(advice, resources, etc.)

Capacity Building Needs Assessment

Review and analyse existing food safety

capacity

Define the desired future of the food

safety system

Identify capacity gaps and needs for

food safety

Consultation and dialogue with stakeholders

Two new FAO tools to assess capacity building

needs

Strengthening national food control systems

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs, 2006

A Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs,2007

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs

Address each of the key components of a national food control system.

Contain five in-depth modules.

Modules may be used separatelyor together.

Different starting points depending on country conditions and needs.

Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs

Addresses the food control system as a whole.

Guidance to quickly assess needs across the entire system.

May be used alone or in association with the Guidelines.

Target Audience

1. Government agencies / officials involved in food safety:

• Agriculture • Laboratories

• Health • Inspectorates

• Trade • Industry

• Standards organizations, etc.

2. External agencies and consultants supporting food safety capacity building activities.

Approach to identify

capacity building needs

Current

situation

Desired

future

improved

situation

Capacity building needs

Analytical framework: levels and dimensions of

capacity

Food Safety System / Framework Level

Organization Level

Individual Level

Socio-economic and

political environment

Trade and market environment

Governance Education

Analytical framework (2)

Level Dimensions of Capacity

System Level

Policy framework Legal framework Organizational arrangements Coordination and communication

Organization Level

Mandate Structure / culture / competencies Processes Human resources Financial resources Information resources Infrastructure, etc.

Key features

Recognition of differences across countries.

Participatory methodology for self-assessment.

Step-by-step advice to do a capacity building needs assessment.

Templates, tools, practical examples and scenarios.

Tips and suggestions.

• Openness and willingness to consult widely.

• Involve stakeholders from farm-to-fork.

• Transparent process.

• Opportunity to learn.

• Document the findings.

• Different options – no one right answer.

General principles of use

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs

(1)

Five Modules1. Food legislation

2. Food control management

3. Food inspection

4. Food analysis laboratories

5. Information, education and communications

Each module: provides a step-by-step process to assess

capacity building needs;

sums up relevant internationally-accepted benchmarks;

incorporates a needs assessment matrix;

includes various surveys, templates, resources and tools that are tailored to the module in question.

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs (2)

An example: Food Inspection Module

• A guide to conduct a document review for food inspection.

• Sample questions for focus group discussions with food inspectors and food enterprises.

• A SWOT Analysis scenario for food inspection.

• A template for a situation analysis report.

• An agenda for a needs assessment workshop on food inspection.

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs (3)

Expected outputs:

Situation analysis of existing capacity of one or more components of the national food control system.

Medium-term vision of one or more components of an improved food control system.

Identification of capacity building needs and options to address them.

Guidelines to assess capacity building needs

(4)

Focuses on:

• food safety outcomes and performance from perspective of different stakeholders;

• country context for food safety (including drivers and constraints to change);

• outputs, components and characteristics of the national food control system as a whole.

Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs

(1)

Five step process:

1. Agree on goals, objectives, process

2. Review existing performance

3. Describe desired future improved situation

4. Identify capacity building needs

5. Define and review options to address identified needs

Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs (2)

Quick Guide to assess capacity building needs (3)

Each step incorporates:

1. Key questions to focus information collection and analysis.

2. Practical tips and suggestions to guide those applying the tool.

More detailed guidance (surveys, checklists, etc.) are included in the annexes

Step 2: Review existing capacity and performance

Step 3: Describe desired future (improved) food control system

Step 4: Identify and prioritize capacity building needs

Step 5: Define and review options to address identified needs

Step 1: Agree on goals, objectives, process

Capacity Building Action Plan

Situation Analysis

Goals & Objectives

Terms of Reference

Needs & Priorities

Quick Guide (4): Expected outputs

Benefits of use

o Support formulation of medium-terms goals and objectives.

o Design tailored activities and programmes to strengthen capacity of the food control system.

o Increase focus on food safety.

o Identify areas for inter-agency cooperation and coordination.

o Help to attract new sources of funding.

Principles that guide Principles that guide our workour work

• Tailor activities to country priorities, needs and conditions.

• Build on existing strengths and resources. • Integrate science and risk analysis at all levels.• Involve all relevant stakeholders from farm-to-

table.• Encourage technical cooperation between

developing countries.• Work with other international partners.

ccapacity building needs apacity building needs assessment: assessment: an essential first

step • Enables capacity building activities to be

tailored to diverse country conditions.• Enhances ability to plan, implement and monitor

programmes in the area of food safety and quality.

• Improves the use of available resources.• Increases awareness on multidimensional

nature of food safety and quality, and complementarities of stakeholders’ roles.

• Helps to attract additional funding and resources.

• Contributes to organizational learning.

• Capacity building requires a careful identification, analysis and prioritization of needs

• However, in several countries needs assessment experience is limited

• Plus, needs assessment is a complex process that is often influenced by competing priorities, competition for resources, political considerations, inadequate information, etc.

Capacity building needs Capacity building needs assessment: assessment: challenges

Next steps

Continued use of both tools in projects implemented by FAO and other agencies (e.g. FAO TCPs, WTO Standards and Trade Development Facility, Norway PCA, WB).

Training users and facilitators in use of both tools

Use to develop national action plans and strategies for food safety programs

Examples of TOT workshops• FAO Sub-regional Workshop for East Africa -

‘Strengthening National Food Control Systems’Organized in collaboration with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS)4–8 December, 2006, Bagamoyo, Tanzania

• FAO International Training Workshop - ‘Assessing the Capacity Building Needs of National Food Control Systems’28 November - 1 December 2006, Rome, Italy

• FAO/STDF/FSANZ Regional Workshop on assessing food safety capacity building needs

November 2007, Beijing, China

Examples of national action plans and strategies for food safety programs

• Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda

• Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Panama, El Salvador, Haiti,

• Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos PDR

• Benin, Cameroon, Myanmar (STDF)

Questions?

For more information:

• FAO Food Quality and Standards Servicehttp://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/

• Food safety capacity building http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/capacity_en.asp

• Guidelines to assess capacity building needs ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/a0601e/a0601e00.pdf

• Quick guide to assess capacity building needsftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1142e/a1142e00.pdf