BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 23
Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:
A mobile laboratory equipped with cutting-edge technologies has been created in Georgia to simplify GeoGAP certification process and make this process more effective, Trend reports via Georgian media.
This laboratory provides services at the local level.
GeoGAP is a domestic safe food production standard that enables farmers, namely, fruits and vegetable growers to produce healthy and safe fruits and vegetables. This standard also helps farmers harmonize their business activities with international standards. Farmers should apply to the Georgian Farmers Association to pass GeoGAP standardization and certification procedures. In 2020, the Georgian Farmers’ Association launched active employment of GeoGAP mobile laboratory in test regime and carried out local visits for identification of analysis samples (soil, water and fruits, and vegetables).
“Conducting laboratory research works is one of the preconditions to receive GeoGAP. The mobile laboratory simplifies this process. This laboratory was created for certification and extension purposes. This laboratory is a good opportunity for conducting field laboratory analysis in farmlands in compliance with standards. Having passed the audit successfully, farmers receive GeoGAP certificates”, Saba Meskhi, GeoGAP certification chief specialist noted.
As noted by the Georgian Farmers Association’s executive director Tamar Toria, the market demand for safe food grows on a daily basis. This is a real challenge for farmers.
On the domestic market, three GeoGAP-certified companies operate, including vegetable production company Herbia. At this stage, several companies are passing GeoGAP certification process, and soon more safe food production companies will appear on the domestic market. Who Assists in GeoGAP Certification GeoGAP team members are certified specialists Saba Meskhi, Ilia Kunchulia, and Tekla Gurgenidze with successful experience of working in this field. They were trained by the Netherlands International Consulting Company Q-Point. As a result of this collaboration, this team has developed GeoGAP standard.
Q-Point has got multi-year experience of implementing similar projects in various countries. Together with Q-Point representatives, Georgian specialists developed a standard guidebook, shaped the list of requirements, and visited pilot farmers. GeoGAP in Cattle-Breeding Sector GeoGAP is not limited to only fruits and vegetables. As noted by Toria, starting summer 2021, the cattle-breeding sector will be also involved in the certification process. The primary processing sector will be also involved in the standardization process, she said.
"Though, systems of similar quality and safety are less represented in the primary processing field, while it is of crucial importance to ensure safe and high-quality production of dairy and meat in the primary processing sector", Toria said.
USAID-funded project “Investing in Safe and High-Quality Cattle-Breeding – SQIL” will work on developing GeoGAP standard system in the primary processing of cattle-breeding sector.
SQIL project is implemented by US organization Land O’Lakes Venture37 in collaboration with the Georgian Farmers Association. GeoGAP standard system will be an adapted version of the internationally recognized standards systems in the cattle-breeding farmlands.
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