My name is Ainembabazi Vicky director at Farmplus Agrovets Uganda Limited, an Extension Quality Control Officer Operating in Uganda located in Mpigi district. I acquired my skills after attending the Extension Quality Control Training conducted by the Community Women’s Enterprise Network (CWEN) in partnership with Bukalasa Agricultural College and the World University Service Of Canada in November 2023.
Before attending the training I had literally no knowledge about the quality control measures and how to apply them, many Small scale and medium enterprises are struggling to reach the UNBS certification unfortunately due to the limited knowledge about quality control they end up spending a lot and being over charged more so Farmplus was failing to acquire the UNBS standards online since there are no standards about insect based feeds and processing the laboratory tests.
As a quality controller due to the knowledge acquired from the training I had to train my team and plan on setting up and organizing the new facility for better productions, I had to go an extra mile and explore more on how animal feeding is controlled in regarding to quality on a national level and; “According to the national animal feed policy under the animal feed industry, one of the constraints limiting production is poor nutrition. For optimum production, especially improved breeds, there is a need to supplement the conventional feed resources with compounded feeds.” This gives farmers and animal feed suppliers a unique platform to enter the market. However there is still a need to practice the GMPs and GHPs in order to put in action the quality assurance and quality control policy to be able to produce products that won’t make people sick.
Understanding Quality Control (QC) and why it is needed Quality control involves testing units and determining if they are within the specifications for the final product. The purpose of the testing is to determine/find any needs for corrective actions in the manufacturing process. Good quality control helps companies meet consumer demands for better products.
Businesses like these and more still need assistance with following and enforcing the GMPs, GHPs, and CCPs. Not only during production but their facility environment as well. I provide my services, more so advice to startups and already existing businesses so as to keep them out of ignorance and have full knowledge in food safety, storage and related standards. Which in turn will help them acquire these standards such as the Q Mark and related Standardization standards. Quality control safeguards a company’s reputation; prevents products from being unreliable, reducing wastage of resources and increasing efficiency and profits for a given company, also increasing trust on the side of consumers. In summary, Quality Management supports business leadership, promotes customer focus, staff integrity, improves company culture and the bottom line, and manages new innovations.
Being an Extension Quality Control Officer has expanded My fields of work and when I am outside my comforts; that is conducting trainings and letting farmers know more about feeding their animals using organic sources with quality feed, I am getting well acquainted.
Published by : Hadijah Nankanja
Team Leader : Community Women Enterprise Network Uganda Limited.
