GLOBALG.A.P. embarks on TOUR stops to visit different locations around the world and examine GLOBALG.A.P. standards on the ground. The events provide a valuable, region-specific platform to learn more about the benefits of certification, share expertise, expand trade networks, and get up-to-date with the latest industry trends and challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic prevented us from hosting our usual run of TOUR stops in 2020. However, two stops were able to take place in the Ivory Coast before travel and social distancing restrictions were imposed. More than 100 delegates attended workshops and conferences organized with the support of partners in Abidjan and Korhogo.
TOUR 2020 highlights
- Taking place for the first time in the Ivory Coast, the events marked a joint effort by the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Import Promotion Desk, funded by the Federal Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The TOUR focused on GLOBALG.A.P. solutions for food
safety,
localg.a.p.,
and
GRASP, as well as
covering specific topics such as the
TR4 Biosecurity
add-on. The TOUR stop in Korhogo also ended with a visit to a mango orchard that is part of a
local producer cooperative.
Consulting company AMD Agro Services expressed interest in localg.a.p. as an ideal solution for the Ivory Coast, and they are actively seeking retail partners to initiate a program for smallholders. Steve Hermann Dje, Platform Director of AMD Agro Services, commented:
“Our primary goal in implementing localg.a.p. in the Ivory Coast is to better enable fruit and vegetable smallholder farmers to produce safer products that they can sell at better prices. There is high demand in the national market for sources of responsibly grown fresh products. We now have many large and medium-sized retailers that are looking to buy fruits and vegetables produced in accordance with G.A.P. We think a program like localg.a.p. is ideal for meeting the needs of all parties: farmers and markets (retailers, wholesalers, and end consumers). And by helping small-scale farmers earn more for their produce, we help raise their standard of living. This benefits their communities.”