SOME 80 farmers from four various cooperatives attended the orientation and pre-assessment seminar on proper practices in good agricultural practices certification in Barangay Pesa, Bongabon, Nueva Ecija.
The event aimed to ensure food safety and assure quality of agricultural products while keeping high regard for the environmental protection and that of workers' health, safety and welfare.
The event was hosted by the Department of Agriculture's (DA) Regional Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Team of Central Luzon, led by Regional GAP Focal Person Angel Tulabut.
"The farmers requested for GAP certification as part of the requirement for exporting shallot in Indonesia wherein they have a sure market," Tulabut said.
Tulabut added that the orientation and pre-assessment activity is a requisite for the completion of GAP certification.
The Regional GAP Team was able to discussed topics such as Republic Act 10611 or the Strengthening of the Food Safety Act of the Philippines, Cultural Management Practices on how to attain competitive products, Mitigation of Climate Change in adoption of new technologies for environmental management, Protection of the welfare of the farmers engage in farm activities and the Certification process on how to attain GAP certification.
After the activity, the farmers expressed their appreciation to the GAP team.
"We are very thankful of this opportunity to be certified as GAP farmers so that we can grow and expand our market overseas and we cannot attain this without the support of the Good Agricultural Practice Team," one farmer participant said.