Introduction to GlobalGAP Group Certification (Option 2)

Overview

GlobalGAP formed in 1996 out of a collaboration of European buyers who hoped to increase public confidence in the safety of the food they sold through a fair and equitably administered, voluntary program of Good Agricultural Practices.  Originally named EurepGAP, it focused first on pesticide residue levels in produce and animal welfare in livestock, but quickly expanded its focus to include microbial food safety.  Over time the buyer collaboration evolved into a true partnership among buyers, producers, and NGOs across the globe.  The program was renamed GlobalGAP in 2007 in recognition of its global reach and scope. GlobalGAP has expanded its scope to addresses social responsibility issues focusing specifically on worker health and safety in a program called “GRASP.”

It was immediately evident to founding organizations that a fair and equitable program of good agricultural practices could not depend on a strict, “one farm – one field – one audit” approach.  They recognized the importance of marketing groups and other types of associations formed by farmers to gain access to resources otherwise available only to larger entities.  GlobalGAP recognized the importance of collaboration among small holders, and the opportunity afforded by such collaboration to raise the standards of operations clear to the individual farm level. They therefore placed major emphasis on developing a “group certification approach”, which they call “Option 2” .

GlobalGAP “Option 2” (group certification) has successfully brought small holders access to major markets within their own countries and worldwide while maintaining and even improving quality management, food safety at the individual farm level, and buyer confidence in certified farms and their products.  As of 2008, there were 92,000 farms in 88 countries certified under GlobalGAP, 74% of which were certified under “Option 2”.

Here is a rough schematic depicting the functions and relationships necessary to fulfill “Option 2” requirements in GlobalGAP.  This is simply a generic model; there may be many variations that would work:

Resources

Below are some resources gathered from the GlobalGAP web site introducing key elements of the “Option 2” approach.  Included are a sampling of questions from existing farmers and producer groups clarifying Option 2 related issues.

• An “Option 2” Success story in Thailand: 1 page
• Global Gap “definition, duties, and responsibilities of a “producer group”:
• Producer Group certification process details: 13 pages
• Generic Manual On Quality Management System ForSmallholder Horticultural Farmer Groups InKenya For Certification To Eurepgap Option 2:  127 pages
• GRASP:  Social Responsibility in Agriculture:  An additional certification available under GlobalGAP

Answers to various GlobalGAP Questions on Group Certification

• On switching status from “Option 2” to conventional single-farm auditing (“Option 1”)
• Requirements of Third-Party “shadow audits”
• All of a producer’s crops must be certified
• All of a farmer’s fields must certified
• Option 1 or Option 2 for a single owner with multiple farms?
• Can members of an Option 2 audit be in different countries?
• What if one member has “issues”?
• Audit timing
• Difference between auditor and inspector
• How to deal with a “group” with different climatic conditions among its members
• How to assure customer that all produce from a group comes from its certified members
• Procedure when external auditor/inspector finds a major non-compliance in a single group member
• Mechanism to guide residue testing: (MRL:  Maximum Residue Levels)
• Surprise audits