Good Agricultural Practices - a working concept

Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division

Good Agricultural Practices - a working concept

Background paper for the FAO Internal Workshop on Good Agricultural Practices

Year of publication 2007

Pages 41

Author Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division

Product type Document

Edition 1

Full item page

Synopsis (short abstract) This paper was prepared for the FAO Internal Workshop on a Good Agricultural Practice approach, which took place in Rome, Italy 27-29 October 2004. It presents an overview of the recent evolution of GAP in food markets, and the history of GAP framework development in FAO, from early discussions focused on the work of visiting scientist David Connor who proposed some common principles of good agricultural practices. Guidance on Good Agricultural Practices from the 17th Session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) in April 2003 led to an expert consultation on GAP in 2003 and the definition of a GAP concept for FAO. Following this consultation, an internal FAO workshop on GAP was organized from 27-29 October 2004 to provide a forum for exchanges on methodologies, approaches and lessons. The final aim is to assist developing countries in developing appropriate protocols and processes which fit the local context, with a special focus to ensure that small and medium-holders can part icipate in GAP-orientated markets which are and will continue to be of major importance in the global food system. To feed discussions at the FAO GAP Internal Workshop, this document presents a number of proposed action areas, outlines the contexts in which a GAP approach can be useful, and areas of expertise which FAO can bring into GAP work.