Capabuild for GAP assessors, inspectors conducted

• Source:http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/1471459922307/capabuild-for-gap-assessors-inspectors-conducted
• Saturday, April 9, 2016

(JLOlson, DA-RFO 10)

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – To extend appropriate technical assistance to farmers to be able to adjust and comply with applicable standards, a capability building training for Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) was recently extended to assessors and inspectors of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) in Cagayan de Oro City.

GAP refers to the practices that address environmental, economic and social sustainability for on-farm processes which result to safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products.

Ruben B. Miranda, member of the GAP for Rice technical working Group (TWG) stressed on the need for farms to be GAP certified.

“GAP is a language of trade because it is a requirement when you want to export products to other countries, while locally some supermarkets are now requiring their suppliers to be GAP certified,” he said.

It also ensures that farmers’ practices are sustainable to ensure safety and quality of produce, which will eventually help in boosting competitiveness and market access of produce locally and internationally.

With the training anchored in facilitating availability and access of food and non-food agricultural products to local and foreign markets that are ascertained to have undergone production and processing system that ensures food safety and quality while giving high regard for environmental protection and that of workers’ health, safety and welfare, its course module elaborated the following topics: Philippine GAP Program, Code of GAP for Rice, Fruits and Vegetables, and the Regional GAP Team Pre-Application and Monitoring System.

The discussion of the said topics was also complemented by an on-field mock assessment and inspection of a vegetable farm, employing square foot urban gardening in barangay Pagatpat, CDO’s compliance to GAP standards.

To date, there are 15 applicants throughout Northern Mindanao, who have already signified interest for their farms to be GAP certified.

A pool of experts from the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), the training arm of the DA, has also joined the said capability building training.

GAP applications are free-of-charge while its administrative expenses shall be shouldered by the DA’s Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards. The validity of GAP certification is only one year.