Pioneering Global Standards: How GreenPath Food Secured Key International Certifications with Mekan Quality Management and Training PLC

Geenpath food Ethiopia

Butagira

•

2019 - 2022

Pioneering Global Standards: How GreenPath Food Secured Key International Certifications with Mekan Quality Management and Training PLC

Project Overview

Here at Mekan Quality Management and Training PLC, we believe that sustainable agriculture has the power to change lives, protect ecosystems, and position local businesses at the forefront of the global market. Today, we are absolutely thrilled to celebrate a landmark project achievement that proves exactly that. Through an intensive and deeply collaborative partnership, GreenPath Food (Ethiopia) a premier agribusiness backed by prominent global impact investors secured a major suite of international compliance certifications. This historic milestone was made possible by months of rigorous concept development, extensive custom training frameworks, and hands-on technical guidance delivered entirely by the Mekan consulting team.

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Project Details

Location

Butagira

Duration

2019 - 2022

Services

Global Standards & CertificationsQuality Assurance & Regulatory Compliance

Key Results

Cultivating an Export Powerhouse: The Core Compliance Pillars GreenPath Food has long been recognized as Ethiopia’s first certified organic fruit and vegetable producer, operating an integrated out grower network that connects local smallholders to high-value international markets. However, stepping onto premium supermarket shelves in Europe and the Middle East requires passing some of the toughest regulatory and ethical hurdles in the world. To help GreenPath clear these hurdles with absolute certainty, Mekan designed and executed an end-to-end consulting framework focusing on three critical international standards: 1. GLOBALG.A.P. Option 2 (Producer Group Certification): Unlike single-farm audits, Option 2 requires a highly sophisticated internal Quality Management System (QMS). Mekan worked hand-in-hand with GreenPath’s leadership to design a robust infrastructure capable of tracking and auditing an entire network of independent smallholders. This system ensures flawless food safety, precise crop traceability, and structured management of farm-level risks across their entire supply chain. 2. GRASP (GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice): True agricultural success cannot be built on numbers alone it must protect the people behind the product. Mekan successfully implemented the GRASP add-on framework, refining GreenPath's operations to ensure world-class worker health, strict safety standards, fair labour practices, and the overall socio-economic welfare of farm employees and smallholder suppliers. 3. EU Organic Standards: European consumers demand strict chemical-free integrity. Mekan structured the specialized technical assistance required to seamlessly align GreenPath’s regenerative permaculture models such as biodiversity monitoring, crop rotation, and natural pest management with rigid EU Organic regulations. The Engine Behind the Achievement: Intensive Training and Advisory Securing these certificates wasn't just a matter of moving through a checklist; it required embedding an entire culture of safety and compliance from the boardroom to the soil. Mekan orchestrated a multi-tiered approach to make this achievement a reality: Custom Documentation Construction: We built the complete traceability architectures, internal inspection frameworks, and operational logs required to easily pass international third party audits. Empowering Field Staff: We delivered targeted capacity building workshops to GreenPath’s agronomists and production specialists, transforming them into internal auditors capable of maintaining the QMS day in and day out. Farmer Awareness Integration: We translated complex international compliance language into practical, simple farm-level standard operating procedures (SOPs), guiding farmers on hygienic harvesting, natural compost monitoring, and safe handling. Real Impact: Why This Project Achievement Matters By securing these certifications, GreenPath Food uniquely positioned as a highly resilient, world class supplier. With its GLOBALG.A.P. Option 2 and EU Organic compliance locked in, GreenPath can confidently scale its export volumes of premium organic avocados, chili peppers, and perennial fresh-cut herbs, passing high price premiums straight back to local smallholders to boost household incomes. For our team at Mekan, this achievement is a profound reminder of why we do what we do. When local technical expertise joins forces with an ambitious, eco-driven enterprise, we create a template for sustainable economic growth that can inspire the entire East African agricultural sector.

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Pioneering Global Standards: How GreenPath Food Secured Key International Certifications with Mekan Quality Management and Training PLC

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