A Practical approach to EurepGap implementation

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A Practical approach to EurepGap implementation

• Marius Boshoff
• Food Chain Manager

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You cannot implement good projects in a bad
policy environment (Prof Willie Esterhuize AMT
Conference, Pretoria 2004.)
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Crop Management, then and now?
BEFORE
AFTER
CROP MANAGEMENT Look after my crop using the
cheapest most effective means (I.e. farmed for
production)
FINDING THE MARKET Who can I sell my crop to and
what do I have to do to ensure you will buy my
crop
FINDING THE MARKET Where will I get the best
price
CROP MANAGEMENT Plan keep within the rules so
that I will have a crop to sell (I.e. farm to
sell)
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Flow chart for finding a market.
What the requirements are of the different buyers
/ markets?
RESEARCH
Reading material / emails / farmers / study
groups / associations
Which of these needs I can meet?
IDENTIFY A MARKET / BUYER
Costs involved versus returns?
Supermarkets visits from buyers check if farm
meets standards (bigger farmer)
CONTACT BUYER
Exporter / packhouse and discuss possibilities
(smaller farmer)
ESTABLISH CRITERIA REQUIRED
EUREPGAP / MRLs / traceability programmes /
chemicals allowed etc.
Advise from reps consultants farmers
DEVELOP A PROPOSAL (chemical plan)
Put together spray programme
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Flow chart for finding a market.continue.
SEND PLAN TO BUYER FOR APPROVAL (With support
material)
Email / fax to buyers / packhouse / exporter
AGREEMENT MADE REGARDING SPRAY PROGRAMME DATES
etc.
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Project management

• Setting clear objectives. (PM skills)

Value Earned (MEDIC)
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What are the specifications?

• Harmonised standards that specify
• How food is grown
• Where food is grown
• What was used to produce food
• Clear process
• Information to support the guidelines
• Record keeping
• Traceability
• Certification

This is where EUREPGAP fits in.
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Principles of

• EUREPGAP promotes the adoption of the available
  technology to manage a farm and to produce food
  according to the principles of sustainable
  agriculture. This includes principles of
  Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Integrated
  Crop Management (ICM).

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Step by step

• Clear dialogue with buyers
• Knowledge required
• Planning of production
• Managements of inputs
• Care of produce on the farm
• Investments in farm
• Record keeping
• Independent verification

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What is the time frame?

• By when should it be implemented?

Urgency
Importance
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Project Time Line and Phases
Initiation
Planning
Execution
Close-out
Re-evaluate
Protocols
Work Breakdown Structures
Objectives and scope
Business outcome
Systems used
Training
Costs , Quality, Time framework
Workload
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How much will it cost me?

• Upgrading infrastructure where needed
• Implementing a knowledge management system
  including record keeping, information management
  
• Employing and training the right individuals for
  the tasks
• Implementing and organisational system that works
• Certification costs

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The human factor..

• The technologies that will be most successful
  will resonate with human behaviour instead of
  working against it. In fact, to solve the
  problems of delivering and assimilating new ideas
  into the workplace, we must look to the way
  humans act and react.John Seely-Brown, in "The
  Human Factor"

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Integrated Crop Management (ICM)
IPM
INTERVEN- TION
PREVENTION
OBSERVATION
Source ECPA (European Crop Protection
Association)
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Organizational Management

• Two types of organizational management
  structures.
• Functional organization
• Geographical organization

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Functional organisation structure
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Geographical organisation structure
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Other organizational issues?

• Infratructure e.g. upgrading of storage
  facilities etc.
• Skills and capabilities
• Training
• Staffs low level of basic education
• Use of temporary workforce
• Level of instruction of the target groups (PAETA)
  and lack of proper training resources
• Systems for record keeping?
• Motivation of workforce (GMFR)

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The right approach

• Cooperation along the food chain
• Strong independent regulators
• Self regulation the licence for credible
  business
• Farmer motivation
• Communication

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Motivation of farm labourers

• Move someone to do something. Typical example
  stuk werk or payment for certain amount of work
  delivered

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Motivation of farm labourers

• Motivation
• Results driven through setting targets.
• Measurement of work.
• Feedback
• Recoqnition

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THANK YOU