Good Agriculture Practices

Mahesh KankaneTheme Anchor- Vegetable Garden and PVSP TrialBhopal (M.P.)7869954370maheshkankane@gmail.com

• GAP are practices that address environmental, economic & social sustainability for on-farm processes, and result in safe and quality food and non-food agricultural products

• Developed by the food industry, producer organizations, governments & NGOs, aiming to codify agricultural practices at farm level

• 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

• Water• A)Agriculture• B)Processing

• Manure, Compost and Other similar Fertilizers• Sanitary Facility• Field Sanitation• Packing Facility Sanitation• Transportation• Trace back

Good Practices

Process Knowledge Values and Ethics

Skills

• Improvement in Crop Productivity (Major Crops):

MAI

ZE

Gaps:

Less HYV (hybrids) Area

Non adoption of weed control

Less use of Fertilizer

Strategies:

Increase in area under hybrid Maize

Balance nutrient use on soil test basis

Effective weed control

• Improvement in Crop Productivity (Major Crops):

RICE

Gaps:

Low Plant Population

Less use of Fertilizer

Cold Irrigation Water

Losses due to Blast

Strategies:

Seed Treatment, IPM

Adoption of SRI for proper Plant

Population

Balanced Fertilizer use

Adoption of Rice Hybrids

Increase in SRR

• Improvement in Crop Productivity (Major Crops):

WHEAT

Gaps:

Maximum area rainfed

Problem of Rust and Loose Smut

Less use of Fertilizer

Strategies:

Life saving irrigation through micro

irrigation system

Seed treatment

Increase in SRR 13% to 35%

Balanced Fertilizer use

Adoption of moisture conservation and

drought resistant varieties

• Soil Health Management:

To provide Soil Health Card to each farmer and to make it online

Soil Health Management can be done through: Balance use of Nutrients (NPK Ratio)

Promotion of Organic Farming

Strengthening of Soil/ Fertilizer Testing Services

Setting up of Mobile Soil Laboratory

Strengthening of Lab

Capacity Building Training/ Demo.

District Digital Soil Map

Promotion of INM (ha.)

• Conservation and Management of Natural Resources

Maximum area is under rainfed.

Annual rainfall 1017 mm.

Un even distribution of rain fall.

Problem of Soil erosion/Degradation

• Conservation and Management of Natural Resources Watershed Development

Programme

Impact of Watershed Programme

Creation of Water potential through Water Harvesting

• Seed Development/ Seed Chain

Production and Distribution of Certified Seed

Increase of Seed Replacement Rate (SRR %)

Seed Village Programme

• Precision Farming :

Polyhouses:

Micro-Irrigation:

Sprinkler System

Drip System

• Crop Protection and IPM :

Reduction in Consumption of Chemical Pesticides

Promotion of Integrated Pest Management

I.P.M. Demonstrations and Farmers Field School

Seed Treatment

Crop Diversification/ Niche Farming:

NEED FOR DIVERSIFICATION

• Household food / nutritional security

• Risk coverage : Mono cropping high risk

• Rural employment opportunities

• Sustainability of Production Systems

• Extension and Transfer of Technology:

Crop Demonstration

Skill Training Prog. (Farmers)

FIG/ SHG/ FO

Exposure Visits

Mass Media Support

Implementation of AGRISNET Portal

• Insurance and Credit :

Distribution of Kisan credit card

Crop loan scheme

Loan on fertilizers

Insurance of the crop

• Mechanisation:

Tractors/ Power Tillers Power Thresher Other Equipments Demonstration of New Equip.

GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAP)

Why it is so important?

GrowersGrowers

Consumer

Processors

Retailer

GMP

GHP

GAP

GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAP)

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.

GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAP)

GAP BENEFITS:

FOOD QUALITY & SAFETY IMPROVEMENT

FACILITATING MARKET ACCESS

REDUCTION IN NON COMPLIANCE RISES REGARDING

PERMITTED PESTICIDES AND OTHER CONTAMINATION HAZARDS.

MAIN CHALLENGES:

INCREASE IN PRODUCTION COST LIKE RECORD KEEPING,

RESIDUE TESTING AND CERTIFICATION INADEQUATE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND SUPORT SERVICES.