{{There are many fruit juice brands on the market today with varying prices and packaging.
Most of these products on the market have been certified by RBS, but to what extent should one trust their hygiene and safety before consumption?}}
In a two day workshop organized by Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR) in partnership with Development Board, and OXFARM International 15 groups of Fruit Juice processors are being trained on “food safety and hygiene in fruit juice processing”. From the time the fruits are harvested till the point when the juice is ready for consumption.
The training is aimed at facilitating entrepreneurs in Horticulture, food processors and marketers with middle range incomes to become more professional hence growing their incomes and in the long run elevating poverty of the famer at the grass root and also partnering with MFIS .
The two- day workshop which started on 15th to 16th May 2014 was held at Masaka Incubation Training Center where over fifteen groups of juice processors turned up for the training facilitated by Mr. Jean Paul Hategekimana, lecturer at KIST university, Mr. Juvenal Ndayisenga a Food processing consultant at BIO HOTICULTURE APICULTURAL, and Mr. Ralf Loeper GIZ- Technical Adviser with RDB.
The participants were trained on food processing processes, the purposes of food processing which among others include conservation of perishable foods, diversifying of the taste, Comfort and availability of the product and many more, they were also trained on measures of food conservation, and finally on hazard analysis critical control points and food safety.
“If you are to promote and uphold hygiene one should start right from the garden when harvesting the fruits till the last processing unit.” Said Mr. Jean Paul.
However, not all is smooth for these growing entrepreneurs in the juice production industry they still face challenges of lack of proper equipment, limited funds, prejudice from clients, ignorance of the clientele about their products and neglecting of feedback from the clients due to fear of change.
More so, participants are being advised and trained by AMIR on how to develop business plans before embarking on any business venture and identifying their primary and secondary clients.
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