Fruit Tree Nursery Certification

The objective of the course will be to create awareness and enhance knowledge on nursery certification

1. Introduction to nursery certification
2. Introduction to grafting and pest management and nursery documentation and procedures
3. Legislations and regulations related to nursery certification
4. Administration of nursery operations

1.1.1 Introduction to nursery fruit tree certification (2 hours)

1. Key terms used in nursery certification phytosanitary, quarantine, certification, inspection
2. History of nursery certification; women and youth in nursery operations, small and medium enterprises in nursery business
3. Establishment of nursery, pest management and general operations
4. Grafting of seedlings: identification of root stocks and scions, the case of avocado

1.1.2 Introduction to grafting and pest management and nursery documentation and procedures (5 hrs)

1. Introduction to agronomic aspects of nursery management
2. Requirements for nursery establishment
3. Pest detection and management in nursries

1.1.3 Legislations and regulations related to nursery operations (2 hours)

1. Fruit tree nursery regulations: business registration, permits, licences, taxation, labour, statutory requirements, county regulations and country legislations.
2. Policies relevant to nursery operations: Kenya Horticulture Policy, National Seed Policy, KEPHIS Act and related Acts & regulations, AFA Act (HCD, Tea, Coffee), PCPB Acts; policies in countries of participants’ origin
3. Other stakeholders

1.1.4 Administration of nursery operations (2 hours)

1. Human Resource and relevant professionals: production, pest management, marketing, nursery audits, food safety, accounts and record keeping and ICT
2. Marketing: contract farming, technical barriers to trade and NTB, traceability, growers, market requirements (private, phytosanitary, technical standards), demand and supply, marketing methods, market intelligence.
3. Finance: accounting principles, book keeping, taxation, budgeting, interpreting , debt management, interpretation of financial information, access to business funds, startup capital
4. Communication: business negotiation records, complaints and feedbacks, customer satisfaction feedback
5. Information Communication Technology: Electronic approval systems: systems used by various service providers such as KRA, KEPHIS, KENTRADE
6. Record keeping: farm records, profit and loss account, business plan,
7. Risk Management and auditing: risk identification, risk register, risk mitigation, audit process
8. Business ethics: integrity, values, compliance to law and regulations, unhealthy competition, produce integrity, false declaration, interceptions, fraud, document forgery.

Discussions on successful avocado nursery certification

Appendix

Checklist of requirements

Inspection protocol

Nursery inspection checklist