The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA, in Spanish) with the Latin American Poultry Association (ALA, in Spanish), worked together to create a new Manual of Good Practices for the poultry sector for Latin America. This effort arises as a plan from the poultry industry to withstand the consequences caused by the current Covid-19 pandemic and strengthen the poultry sector in multiple fields.

In a report of November 11, 2020, issued from San José, Costa Rica, IICA informs on its website that this document is directed “at poultry farms (breeding and producers of eggs and chickens) and processing activities (classification and packaging of eggs, egg products, and poultry slaughter) and distribution”. In other words, the publication tries to reach all sectors involved in poultry farming and contribute with tools that allow the strengthening of each one of them.

Likewise, the manager of the IICA Agricultural Health, Safety and Food Quality Program, Dr. Marisa Cordero, highlights that this IICA and ALA document “provides multiple tools to poultry producers to increase the competitiveness of the sector in matters strategic, in response to emergencies and antimicrobial resistance”. In other words, the document includes updated topics of great importance for the Latin American poultry sector.

On the other hand, Dr. Hebert Tenchi, coordinator of the ALA Scientific Technical Committee, mentions that the publication serves to reinforce the economic and social recovery that each country of the continent is currently carrying out. At the same time, it highlights that biosecurity practices in poultry are even more necessary today during this COVID-19 pandemic.

IICA informs on its website that this manual is available in Spanish and English and will also be available in Portuguese shortly. Besides, they plan to distribute this manual of good practices in the poultry sector in Central America and the Caribbean.

Some of the topics addressed in this new Manual of Good Practices in the poultry sector are related to: logistics in the workplace; the health of the staff; facilities for personal hygiene and sanitary services; personal hygiene measures; general sanitation; waste management; training of workers. The manual has a total of 15 pages and is publicly accessible.

Undoubtedly, the Sars-Cov-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a high negative impact on the economy of Latin American countries. Currently, all of them seek to recover and for this, the sectors of production of food of animal origin, such as poultry, must adapt and strengthen their multiple processes. Thus, they can contribute to the social and economic recovery of the region.

If you want to consult and download the Manual of Good Practices in the poultry sector in Spanish for free, you can do so at this link: https://online.fliphtml5.com/eebm/qvic/#p=1 provided by the ALA.

• Página de la ALA: https://www.avicolatina.com/2014-01-28-14-10-31/oti/543-iica-y-ala-publican-manual-de-buenas-practicas-en-el-sector-avicola-para-enfrentar-covid-19
• Página IICA: https://www.iica.int/es/prensa/noticias/iica-y-ala-publican-manual-de-buenas-practicas-en-el-sector-avicola-para-enfrentar