Biofruit Congress: discussing GLOBALG.A.P. add-ons for tackling water problems and social issues

Organized by our longtime media partner Eurofresh Distribution, the International Biofruit Congress at the recent Fruit Attraction trade fair brought together leading voices from the fresh produce world to share current trends and solutions to emerging challenges. Topics at this two-day congress in Spain included demand and supply chains, retail and distribution, IPM solutions, and post-harvest innovations. Another segment of the congress was devoted to water and social aspects.  

Water in the spotlight 

On the first day of the congress, our expert Dr. Nolan Quiros explained how GLOBALG.A.P. voluntary add-ons strengthen the supply chain by improving communication between producers, suppliers, retailers. Dr. Quiros highlighted the Sustainable Program for Irrigation and Groundwater Use (SPRING) add-on, which is a powerful tool to help producers and buyers of fruits and vegetables demonstrate their commitment to responsible on-farm water management. Released on 5 September of this year, version 2 of the SPRING add-on features simplified implementation rules and stricter principles and criteria regarding legal compliance, reflecting the sector’s growing emphasis on solutions for environmental sustainability. 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Agriculture Delegate Felipe Fuentelsaz also participated in the special session on water at the congress, zeroing in on water’s legal aspects, specifically in the increasingly water-scarce regions of Spain. He also mentioned different agriculture standards and their ranking in terms of legal water use criteria. Of the standards used by producers in Spain, WWF recognizes our SPRING add-on among the most robust farm-level water certification options available. 

Read more here about SPRING and our work with WWF to make it even better. 

Focus on social practices puts people first 

Dr. Quiros’ presentation also highlighted the GLOBALG.A.P. Risk Assessment on Social Practice (GRASP) add-on. GRASP evaluates workers’ well-being on the farm and covers topics like labor and human rights, worker representation, and protection of children and young workers. This add-on speaks to the special need for social vigilance in fruit and vegetable production, and prepares supply chain stakeholders for compliance with due-diligence regulations.  

Click here to read more about how producers and buyers are using GRASP to assess, improve, and demonstrate their responsible social practices. 

Photo: GLOBALG.A.P. expert Dr Nolan Quiros at Biofruit Congress
Photo credits: Eurofresh Distribution