In April 2012 KAIN started a major project for a pesticide laboratory in Kenya. The project was conducted under the "Provide Solutions To Emerging Analytical Laboratories" or PASTEL strategy. Objective was to provide a working analytical LC-MS/MS system for the analysis of pesticides in various matrices operated by thoroughly trained local personnel.
The project consisted of the following phases:
- Inventarisation of the necessary improvements in infrastructure and utilities and coordination of its implementation*.
- Purchase and installation of the required analytical equipment in KAIN's laboratory.
- Configuration of the required instrumental set-up and procurement of the necessary chemicals.
- Secondment of chemists from the client for a prolonged period in KAIN's guesthouse
- Intensive combination of method development, training and validation by KAIN and the seconded chemists.
- Transfer of a working laboratory system to the laboratory of the client.
- Implementation of the system on the spot by KAIN and the trained chemists of the client.
- Completion of the Project
* Phase 1 was conducted in parallel with the other phases.
In practice the PASTEL strategy turns out to be much more effective than previously applied approaches where infrastructural improvements, the purchase of instruments, method development and training are conducted separately and serial by various parties in the emerging country. The presence of a good logistic system and laboratory infrastructure in the Netherlands enables a fast development of a working analytical system. In addition the lengthy and intensive training of the seconded personnel increases the change of maintaining the analytical level in the future, usually the gap between the required and available analytical level is quite large and can’t be bridged by a short intensive training course. Finally, the PASTEL strategy substantially cuts down the project costs and duration. The Kenya project was successfully completed in March 2013.
