Ensure quality and safety with Global GAP certification

Food safety and sustainability are major issues in today’s globalised world. Global Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) provides producers and consumers with reassuring guidance, helping producers stand out in an increasingly competitive industry and gain access to new markets.

According to Tamsin Mzozoyana, owner of Krystal Consultancy, improving food safety along the entire agricultural supply chain is one of Global GAP’s primary goals.

What is GLOBAL GAP?

Global GAP is essential for guaranteeing the sustainability, safety, and high quality of agricultural goods worldwide. It promotes sustainable agriculture and reduces agrochemical usage for the benefit of farmers, retailers, and consumers by harmonising global agricultural standards.

“The Global GAP Integrated Farm Assurance Standard covers the entire agricultural production of a specific product. It begins even before the plant goes into the ground or when the livestock enters the production process,” she explains.

“The standard encompasses the framework for independent third-party certification and all your farm facilities. Certification ensures that only those who reach and maintain a certain level of compliance may be certified.”

The journey to certification

Global GAP certification has an impact that extends beyond individual farms and producers. Because it is a widely accepted standard, it helps producers stand out in an increasingly competitive industry, gain access to new markets, and earn consumer trust.

“The Global GAP mark gives customers peace of mind that the goods they buy are produced to the highest standards because it is a sign of sustainability, quality, and safety,” Mzozoyana explains.

Follow these steps to achieve Global GAP Certification:

Visit the Global GAP document centre website to download the standard documents for free.
Understand the general regulations, relevant options, and control points and compliance criteria (CPCC) concerning your business needs.
Select a certification body and register for Global GAP.
Develop and implement the CPCC, carry out a self-assessment using the CPCC checklist, and correct all non-compliant points.
Conduct a GAP analysis.

Benefits of adoption

“The number one benefit is reducing the food safety risk in your operation. This reduces the risk to the consumer as well as the risk that the farmer might face if there is a possible contamination of the product,” she says.

Your commitment to GAP will be evident through your certification to Global GAP, which also enhances the value of your products by complying with an internationally recognised standard.

Certification to Global GAP demonstrates your commitment, and here are the benefits:

Facilitating entry into new markets, suppliers, retailers, and customers both locally and internationally.
Lowering risks to your reputation from product and food safety issues.
Increasing farm management and process efficiency.
Encouraging ecologically sustainable farming methods.
Providing access to a secure online certification database for verification and producer checks.

LISTEN: Get Global GAP certification this way

New farmers adhering to requirements

Depending on what you farm and want to export, you must adhere to these criteria. It is recommended that you engage a consultant to conduct a gap assessment to determine the implementation course.

From there, you will need to prepare for the audit. Then, you will need to schedule a third-party audit by a registered certification body. Upon compliance with all requirements, you will receive your Global GAP certification, which is valid for one year.

“It’s all about mitigating risk; it’s an international, global standard that remains the same regardless of your location,” she explains.

One of the biggest questions farmers might have concerns the costs involved in gaining certification. Mzozoyana says, “There’s no exact cost for Global GAP certification because farmers and operations differ. The biggest costs will be the third-party audit for certification,” she says.

Other costs might include consultation fees, interpretation of the standard, acquisition of personal protective equipment, wastewater management, pest control, and several other factors that need to be considered.