Elevator complex specialists, 30 Grain Alliance employees and 26 Nibulon employees, started an online training course to master modern grain storage methods and laboratory analysis to maintain proper quality for export to customers worldwide. Implemented by the NGO International Foundation of Development, with assistance from USAID Economic Resilience Activity (ERA), and the Institute of Postgraduate Education, of the National University of Food Technologies, the training fits within the framework “Workforce Development for Ukraine.”
Experts from Nibulon’s production laboratories discussed issues of grain crops pests, including pests’ impact on grain quality and storage, the specific methods of disinfecting agricultural products, as well as how to limit pest infection and spread. Experts from Grain Alliance’s laboratories learned to assess grain quality upon acceptance and storage, how to collect samples using an automatic sampler and manually with handheld dipstick, and how to prepare samples for analysis.
“Recently, the focus of training highly qualified specialists has shifted towards cross-disciplinary knowledge and mastering related professions. This is imperative for our company as we rely on modern approaches, modernization, and the implementation of innovative technologies, moreover our specialists must have a thorough understanding of the processes of elevator operation and production facilities from A to Z,” says Yana Romanenko, HR Director at Nibulon Company.
During the training modules, course participants will be able to:
- Analyze grain quality, identify major grain diseases, understand their impact on grain and seed quality, know methods of diagnosing these diseases, and learn measures for the prevention and control.
- Identify grain contamination with pests and mycotoxins, understand the types of storage stocks pests, and know measures to control grain pests, understand the specifics of decontaminating agricultural products and storage facilities.
- Be aware of food safety management, food drying, and seed grains.
The training, “Control of Safety and Quality of the Grain, Diseases, and Conditions of High-Quality Storage at the Elevator during Export Operations,” will continue until the end of April.
Background: Assistance to agricultural producers and infrastructure companies is part of the Agriculture Resilience Initiative (AGRI) – Ukraine, implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It aims to help Ukraine increase its capacity to produce, store, transport, and export grain.