Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are a collection of principles to apply for on-farm production and post-production processes...
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| GAPs contribute to ensure food safety. |
GAPs are applied through sustainable agricultural methods, such as integrated pest management, integrated fertilizer management and conservation agriculture, helping ensure the quality and safety of farm products. GAPs applications an important part, especially in the world integration trend. GAPs have been being developed in Khanh Hoa Province to enhance natural resources and contribute to sustainable livelihoods. GAPs applications are welcomed by the locals as it has brought them great benefits.
Sustainable agriculture plays an important role in socio-economic development. It refers to agricultural production that can be maintained without harming the environment. In recent years, local industrial and agricultural promotion programs have been based on GAP principles. Typical examples include safety chicken husbandry and intensive cultivation of Hoa Loc mangoes and nghe jackfruits under GAP principles.
GAPs courses will be held to raise local farmers’ awareness of the importance of safe agriculture practices. Khanh Hoa has 15,000ha of paddy field, 10,000ha of orchards and 6,000ha of vegetable gardens. The Promotion Center for Agriculture & Fishery plans to fund the implementation of GAPs in the intensive cultivation of Hoa Loc mangoes (VND70 million), and 18-20ha of nghe jackfruit (VND100 million) in Cam Lam District in 2010.
Farmers will be provided GAPs training. This is a promising signal for both farmers and consumers in Khanh Hoa. However, more GAPs training and education are required for more effective application. A mango-grower named Bay Xuan in Cam Lam said, “GAPs application together with trial implementation is very necessary. It promises to bring high benefits to the life of farmers in Khanh Hoa Province.”
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