BayG.A.P. SERVICE PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
WHAT ARE GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES?
On the one hand, farmers have one of the most important jobs in societies: Feeding an
ever-increasing number of hungry people, either in their communities or throughout the world.
On the other hand, they are facing limited resources in acreage, freshwater and money as well as
alone limiting conditions brought by droughts, pests and contaminations.
The basic concepts and
principles of Good Agricultural
Practices are applicable for all
crops and crop-related issues.
Against this background, we need to make grow-
ing crops more efficient to raise yield and quality
of marketable produce while preserving the envi-
ronment and increasing the livelihoods of farmers.
This need calls for a solid and practicable concept
in the context of farming: The concept of Good
Agricultural Practices, addressing food safety,
human health, environmental protection and
improving conditions for workers and their fami-
lies. This concept, enabling a sustainable way of
farming, offers principles, standards and regula-
tions that have been developed in recent years by
the food industry and producer organisations but
also by governments and NGOs.
Good Agricultural Practices
can be simply understood as
doing things well and guarantee-
ing they have been done so.
The objective of these G.A.P. include, to a varying degree:
• Ensuring the safety and quality of produce in the food chain
• Creating new market opportunities for farmers and exporters
• Improving natural resource use, worker health and working
conditions
• Capturing new market opportunities by modifying
supply chain governance
• …
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