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COVID-19 (2022 Deadline)
Mitigating effects of COVID-19 on small-scale dairy farmhouse producers through education and training initiatives to improve food safety and their access to online distribution platforms
PI: Nada Smigic (nadasmigic@agrif.bg.ac.rs), University of Belgrade
U.S. Partner: Jovana Kovacevic, Oregon State University
Project Dates: November 2022 - April 2024
Project Overview
Small-scale dairy producers (SSDPs) in Serbia were disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the lockdowns and inability to sell their products through typical distribution channels, such as open markets and restaurants, these communities have struggled to make sales and stay in business. During the pandemic, Serbia witnessed the emergence of new online food distribution channels, increasingly accepted by consumers, mainly due to their convenience. While larger, well-established businesses have pivoted to new markets, SSDPs face significant challenges in adapting and meeting the standards required for online sales.
The goal of this project was to support Serbian SSDPs’ longevity and resilience by helping them produce foods of high quality and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as enabling them to expand their distribution channels to online platforms. The project was conducted in two phases, focused on research and training. During the research phase, the team identified challenges faced by SSDPs throughout the production and distribution stages and investigated the quality and safety of dairy products produced by SSDPs through microbiological and physico-chemical analyses to assess their suitability for online sales. The training phase was aimed at improving SSDP’s knowledge and compliance readiness with region-specific and customized training tailored to SSDPs, including basic quality and food safety preventive controls and key requirements for online product sales.
Final Summary of Project Activities
The researchers interviewed representatives of online platforms and conducted questionnaires with 58 SSDPs. They sampled 302 dairy products to analyze their microbiological quality and test for the presence of l. monocytogenes and indicator microorganisms. The platforms emphasized the need for SSDPs to acquire tools and resources to ensure compliance with food safety and quality standards and highlighted the critical need for cold chain transport solutions to ensure consistent product quality. By identifying the differences between the SSDP clusters, researchers could tailor the training program to the specific characteristics and knowledge gaps within each group.
From these findings, the PEER team created a 20-page brochure of practical information, aligned with the identified knowledge gaps, that would directly benefit small dairy processors, such as farm registration, hygiene standards, food labeling, cheese production, quality control, online customer requirements, and food transport. Printed copies were distributed to SSDPs during in-person training sessions. The researchers also developed social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram to engage stakeholders.
The curriculum material was carefully developed and included a mixture of lectures, case studies, and practical examples, complemented by demonstrations of various rapid tests to assess hygiene and quality in dairy products and refined based on feedback from the U.S. partner. The PEER team held In-person training sessions with a total of 43 SSDPs across four events. It was a great challenge to attract female dairy producers, as only 58% of the participants were women, although the proportion should be 70%. This discrepancy highlights the prevailing gender inequalities in rural Serbia, where women are often confined to traditional roles, hindering their educational endeavors.
The participants completed a pre-test and a post-test following the in-person training sessions, as well as anonymous questionnaires. The most common feedback emphasized a desire for further training opportunities in the future, indicating participants' confidence and eagerness to continue their education. Belgrade and Niš performed exceptionally well with post-tests of over 80%, possibly due to a higher proportion of highly educated participants. Conversely, participants from Zaječar performed worse on both tests, but showed a significantly higher average knowledge increase, emphasizing the importance of targeting efforts at specific population groups, such as women with low levels of education. After the face-to-face training sessions, a significant proportion (≈20%) of participants were in constant contact with members of the project team. They sought advice on various topics such as infrastructure improvements, technological advances, standardization of production processes, transportation of dairy products, and the importance of maintaining a cold chain.
The PI and team received two grants, worth a total of $495,000, for new research. They presented their findings at the 2nd International Symposium of Biotechnology, International Dairy Expert’s Symposium, Black Sea Association of Food Science and Technology Congress, and the International Association for Food Protection. The PEER team also developed an eLearning training on the Moodle platform, which includes 12 comprehensive lessons and covers a variety of topics that are crucial for milk production and dairy product distribution. The training material is presented in Serbian to meet the language needs of the target group in the region. This e-learning training will last beyond the funding period of the project and serve as an invaluable educational resource.
Publications
Z. Miloradovic, J. Kovacevic, J. Miocionovic, I. Djekic, N. Kljajevic, and N. Smigic. 2024. E-commerce readiness and training needs of small-scale dairy processors in Serbia: Understanding barriers and knowledge gaps. Heliyon 10(6): e27442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27442
B. Aleksic, B. Udovicki, J. Kovacevic, Z. Miloradovic, I. Djekic, J. Miocinovic, N. Tomic, and N. Smigic. 2024. Microbiological assessment of dairy products produced by small-scale dairy producers in Serbia. Foods 13(10): 1456. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13101456
Z. Miloradovic, J. Kovacevic, J. Miocinovic, I. Djekic, and N. Smigic. 2024. Empowering small-scale dairy processors: a comprehensive analysis of training impact and participant feedback. Proceedings of the 2nd International Symposium on Biotechnology: 329-335. http://dx.doi.org/10-46793-sbt29-43
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