Report on Train-The-Trainer Course on Meat Hygiene

This initiative was established by the University of Florida in collaboration with the International Livestock Research Institute and was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Feed the Future program. The Livestock Systems Innovation Lab focused on six target countries, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Nepal, with the goal of introducing new location-appropriate technologies, improving management practices, and enhancing access to and quality of inputs across livestock value chains. The research project aligned with USAID mission-funded activities, particularly the Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain Activity led by Fintrac, which targeted value chains of maize, coffee, chickpea, dairy, and livestock. A key objective of the Livestock Systems Innovation Lab was to improve meat safety for both domestic abattoirs and home butchery, and to increase the value of both meat and byproducts. Phase 1 of the project involved an assessment of three livestock markets, five abattoirs, and eighteen local butchers, which identified the need for a training-of-trainers course on hygiene and meat quality for Ethiopian butcher and abattoir workers. The train-the-trainer course was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to deliver effective training courses on meat hygiene and quality. The course targeted technical staff from the Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, butcher association members, and other key actors. The training course was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Florida, including Dr. Jason Scheffler and Taylor Langford, in collaboration with the Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute and the Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain Activity. The training course consisted of three days of instruction, which covered topics such as adult learning principles, basic hygiene practices, and animal welfare. Participants also visited an abattoir and several butchers to observe and assess the facilities and discuss their observations with the owners and managers. The course aimed to empower trainers to deliver effective training courses and to evolve the course over time by integrating new information. The train-the-trainer course was attended by 20 participants, half of whom were selected and funded by the Feed the Future Ethiopia Value Chain Activity, and the other half by the Livestock Systems Innovation Lab. The participants hailed from various regions in Ethiopia, including Addis Ababa, Tigray, Amhara, Bishoftu, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region. Two participants were women. The training course was designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by Ethiopian butcher and abattoir workers, including the need for improved hygiene and sanitation practices, and the importance of animal welfare. The course also aimed to promote a culture of food safety and quality among the participants, and to empower them to deliver effective training courses to their peers. Overall, the train-the-trainer course on meat hygiene and quality was an important step towards improving food safety and quality in Ethiopia, and towards achieving the goals of the Livestock Systems Innovation Lab. The course provided participants with the knowledge and skills to deliver effective training courses, and to promote a culture of food safety and quality among their peers.