The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB)’s regulatory work and continued strategic guidance to local farmers were recently further bolstered when the board was honoured and presented with the ISO 9001:2015 Standards and Global G.A.P certification.
This puts the NAB apart as the only internationally-approved verification body for all local G.A P Primary Farm Assurance (PFA) Standards.
The Gl o b a l G . A . P. approval and ISO 9001:2015 Standards Certification are an internationally-recognised set of farm standards dedicated to Good Agricultural Practices (G.A.P).
Through cert if ication, producers demonstrate their adherence to GLOBALGAP standards.
For consumers and retailers, the certificate is reassurance that food reaches accepted levels of safety and quality, and has been produced sustainably, respecting the health, safety and welfare of workers, the environment, and in consideration of animal welfare issues. Without such reassurance, farmers may be denied access to markets. This certification is becoming a compulsory standard, as most retailers now require it as evidence of good agricultural or fish farming practices.
The certification was conferred on the NAB by the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI), and means that the NAB has adequate systems, processes and procedures, and has trained staff with the capacity to meet the set requirements of international standards.
It also means the NAB as a regulatory body can now inspect and certify local farms against the local G.A.P standards for fruits and vegetables, and these results can be entered into the Global G.A.P database.
Local G.A.P standards can help local farmers to export their products to the SADC market. The standard further requires that an organisation meets statutory requirements, legal requirements as well as organisational, strategic objectives.
The latest milestones align seamlessly with the impending conclusion of the NAB’s five-year strategic plan, which aims to help Namibian farmers export to the international market.
-ohembapu@nepc.com.na