Zambian Government Calls for GLOBALG.A.P. Standards to Facilitate Trade in Southern Africa

Since 2021, GLOBALG.A.P. has been working in close collaboration with the South African Business Development Forum. Last week, GLOBALG.A.P. traveled to the region and met with Her Honor the Vice President of Zambia in Lusaka to discuss a range of topics, including the establishment of international standards for trade and the support of sustainable development in the country.

Advancing the domestic farming sector

The delegation was led by GLOBALG.A.P. c/o FoodPLUS GmbH Managing Director, Dr. Kristian Moeller, and a team of international GLOBALG.A.P. experts, consisting of one representative each for livestock from Spain, aquaculture from Vietnam, rice from Myanmar, and fruit and vegetables from Kenya. During the two-week visit, the GLOBALG.A.P. experts enjoyed a valuable exchange with ministers, producers, and industry stakeholders relevant to their fields.

At the meeting with Her Honor the Vice President, the team presented GLOBALG.A.P.’s mission to support both the professionalization of the farming sector in Zambia, as well as the development of trade opportunities across the wider Southern Africa region. GLOBALG.A.P. will now work to train local producers and supply chain operators in all the relevant farm assurance standards for fruit and vegetables, grains, rice, aquaculture, and livestock.

Responsible farming practices as a platform for success

“Safe and responsible farming practices have been proven to build trust and transparency in many agricultural markets as a prerequisite for national and international trade relationships,” Dr. Moeller comments. “We are committed to our partnership with the South African Business Development Forum and all stakeholders in Zambia, and proudly accept Her Honor the Vice President’s invitation to build an effective offering that enables the training of producersand supply chain operators of all sizes to meet our internationally recognized assurance standards.”

A series of online and on-site sessions aimed at introducing GLOBALG.A.P. and the product portfolio has already begun, and the training of the first group of GLOBALG.A.P. Registered Trainers in Zambia is scheduled for June 2022. GLOBALG.A.P. looks forward to our continued collaboration with the South African Business Development Forum in supporting the economic development of Zambia.