Ghana pineapples

GlobalGAP, the private sector body that sets voluntary standards for certification of global agricultural products, has announced at Fruit Logistica in Berlin thatit is toundertake two new certificationschemes.

A joint approach to benchmarking for farm assurance schemes has been agreed with The Global Food Safety Initiative(GFSI), managed by CIES - The Food Business Forum.

In a bid to streamline standards and ensure food safety, the groups have begun a review of both the GFSI Guidance Document and the GlobalGAP Good Agricultural Practice Reference Standard, with the aim of aligning the two.

'We are delighted to form this partnership with GlobalGAP which will make recognition of food safety elements on farm much easier for retailers, manufacturers, and food service providers,' said J P Suarez, chairman of the GFSI and senior vice-president and general counsel of the International Division of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Nigel Garbutt, chairman of GlobalGAP, added: 'Producers will also benefit from a harmonised set of Good Agricultural Practice food safety criteria, applicable to agricultural production around the globe.'

Meanwhile, GlobalGAP's Kristian Moeller also announced that the organisation was stepping up its efforts to understand the differences in smallholder producers needs by widening its Africa Observer project.

The scheme, in conjunction with DFID and GTZ, aims to expand the existing aims of providing more opportunities for smallholder representation in the standard setting process by using practical evaluation tools and global best practice standards to facilitate standard implementation by smallholder worldwide.

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