Good agricultural-practices-GAPs by Md. Abdul Momin Sheikh

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP): Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are practices that
ensure environmental, economical & social
sustainability for on-farm practices (and post
production practices) resulting in safe and quality food
and non-food agricultural products. -FAO

1. Produce Safety Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) 1 Md. Abdul Momin Sheikh Assistant Professor Department of Food Engineering and Technology Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University Dinajpur

2. Objectives After this session, participants will be able to: What is GAP ? Why have GAPs ? Why it is so important ? Overview of GAP implementation points GAP benefits and Mail Challenges List of GAP component technologies Major constraints for GAP adoption 2

3. What is GAP? GAP are practices that ensure environmental, economical & social sustainability for on-farm practices (and post production practices) resulting in safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products. -FAO Developed by the food industry, producer organizations, governments & NGOs, aiming to codify agricultural practices at farm level

4. Application Practices that: Improve safety & efficacy May be generic or specific to application method, chemical Developed by registrants, growers, applicators, and EPA Many already on labels Must document in Fumigant Management Plan and/or Post Application Summary to show compliance What are GAPs? Module 4: Good Agricultural Practices

5. Why GAP?? Consumption of fresh produce steadily increasing for health. Increases in the number of produce associated with food borne disease outbreaks in the country. A variety of fruits and vegetables implicated-- domestic and imported Pathogens normally associated with animal origin on fruits and vegetables

6. Why have GAPs? Ensure that all applicators follow the same standards Reduce potential for: bystander & handler exposure to emissions from soil fumigants accidents Improve efficacy of soil fumigation. Module 4: Good Agricultural Practices

7. GAP Include • Water • A)Agriculture • B)Processing • Manure, Compost and Other similar Fertilizers • Sanitary Facility • Field Sanitation • Packing Facility Sanitation • Transportation • Trace back

8. Why it is so important? Growers- GAP Processors-GMP Retailer –GHP Consumer

9. Produce Contamination Sources Water , manure, and soil Insects, rodents, and other wild life Equipment cross contamination Human handling Chemicals and pesticides Physical hazards (glass, plastic, wood, etc.) 9

10. Overview of GAP implementation points Workers 2. Land 3. Crop 4. Water 5. Animal 6. Fertilizers and Agro-chemical 7. Harvest and Transport 8. Traceability 10

11. Principle 1: Water Source Principle 1: Water Source Use safe drinking water When in contact with plant or produce When harvest washing produce Use surface water source ( example: ponds ) When not in contact with plant or produce Use for drip irrigation Test for fecal coliforms and/or E.coli prior to use Test soil for coliforms in frequently flooded farm land 11

12. Principle 2: Manure Use and Handling Composted manure Aged manure Location of manure 12

13. Raw Manure Is raw manure incorporated at least 2 weeks prior to planting or 120 days prior to harvest? 13 Planting Harvest 14 Days 120 Days

14. Principle 3: Worker Health and Hygiene Principle 4: Sanitary Facilities 14

15. Principle 5: Field Sanitation Harvest containers cleaned and sanitized Equipment cleaned periodically Avoid soil or unsafe water contamination Create reasonable barriers to animals 15

16. Principle 6: Packing Facility Sanitation Good handling practices (SOPs) Avoid cross contamination with equipment or animals (wild and domestic birds) Pest prevention program 16

17. Principle 7: Transportation Maintain temperatures Maintain refrigeration units (check for leaks) Load trucks to prevent damage Clean transport vehicles regularly 17

18. Principle 8: Traceability One step back; one step forward Date of harvest/pack date Field identification (may be color coded) Worker identification Recordkeeping 18

19. GAP benefits • GAP benefits are: -food quality & safety improvement -facilitating market access -reduction in non-compliance risks re. permitted pesticides, MRLs & other contamination hazards Main challenges: -increase in production cost like recordkeeping, residue testing & certification -Inadequate access to information and support services

20. List of GAP component technologies • Land clearing • Tillage • Bunding • Preflooding • Puddling • Levelling • Cultivar choice • Certified seeds • Nursery sowing • Planting method • Thinning/Gap-filling • Fertiliser application (using RiceAdvice ) • Weeding • Flooding • Drainage • …. etc. 20

21. What are your options? Require a formal GAPs audit Require self-assessment checklist 21

22. GAPs Resources GAP Websites FDA, Cornell, Penn State, UC Davis, and others Extension Offices State Agricultural Departments Health Departments Farm to school Other farmers 22

23. Who initiated the GAP as a Standard? 1. EurepGAP , initiated in 1997, by European Retailers, and other members of input and services side of Agriculture. 2 . First version released in Europe in 2001. 3 . EurepGAP standard is designed to reassure consumers – about how food is produced on farm by minimizing detrimental environmental impacts of Farming operations, – reducing the use of chemical inputs – ensuring responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare. 23

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34. Major constraints for GAP adoption • Limited knowledge of producers on importance of GAP • Accessibility and availability of GAP component technologies (e.g. Certified seeds & Fertilizers) • Lack of enough extension personals & support • Lack of large scale effort for technology dissemination 34

35. Summary Good Agricultural Practices: Minimize exposure from emissions Increase safety and efficacy of applications May be generic, or specific to a chemical or application method Many on labels as recommendations, more will be mandatory Must be documented in FMPs and/or post-application summaries Module 4: Good Agricultural Practices

36. Questions and Discussion 36