Continuous improvement in sustainability matters – Launch of the IDA add-on for additional sectors

On 13 November, in another move towards more sustainable farming practices, the GLOBALG.A.P. Secretariat unveiled the latest version of its Impact-Driven Approach to Sustainability (IDA) add-on, now applicable to all product categories of the plants scope as well as aquaculture production. This innovative tool empowers producers with a comprehensive solution for the digital registration, monitoring, and optimization of input consumption data and sustainability metrics.

About the Impact-Driven Approach

The IDA add-on supports sustainable farming practices by facilitating continuous improvement. It integrates with farm management software (FMS), enabling producers to transform raw data into insightful reporting. Farm management software is becoming increasingly prevalent as digitalization spreads within the farming sector. It is used to manage farm operations and production processes, and now also to send the relevant data to the GLOBALG.A.P. IT systems . Records not only track individual progress, but also enable anonymous peer-to-peer comparisons, allowing producers to benchmark their sustainability efforts against those with similar production conditions and target areas for optimization.

Extending the application of IDA to new product categories

Originally launched in 2020 for the floriculture sector, the add-on now offers new checklists for a broader range of products. Version 1.1 launched on 13 November includes the categories of fruits and vegetables, hops, tea, combinable crops, plant propagation material, and aquaculture.

For plants producers, the original sustainability metrics remain relevant, such as plant protection products, fertilizer application, water use, and energy efficiency. For aquaculture, the focus is on energy efficiency, feed indicators, mortality and escape indicators, and antimicrobial and vaccination indicators.

The IDA audit process

To ensure the accuracy and relevance of the data submitted via FMS and to maintain trust in the system, producers undergo annual IDA add-on audits conducted by accredited third-party certification bodies. Designed to complement Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) certification, the IDA add-on offers a streamlined and efficient auditing process for producers of all sizes, from smallholders to large producer groups.

The IDA add-on is not just a tool; it is a commitment to sustainability. Successful audits result in a letter of conformance, valid for one year, providing producers with a tangible way to meet buyer requirements and showcase their dedication to sustainability.

Learn more from our experts, live at IPM Essen

For those seeking firsthand information, we invite you to visit the GLOBALG.A.P. booth at the IPM Essen trade fair on 23–26 January 2024. The booth, located at the BGI Trade Center (Booth 1D12.A-16), is a hub for existing partners and potential collaborators to discover the new and improved possibilities that the IDA add-on brings to the table.

Join us as we usher in the new era of smart farm assurance solutions, such as the expanded IDA add-on, bringing positive change to the global farming landscape.