Observations and feedback from the benchmarking, survey preparations, implementation, and interpretation of the data collected, gave an early indication that a demonstration model to sho
Trang 1HortResearch Nelson Region
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BACKGROUND 1
1 DOCUMENTATION OF GAP APPLIED BY CLUSTER GROUP SMALL-HOLDERS 3 Farmer Selection 6
Small-Holder Sector of Project Pilot Group Establishment 6
2 PROGRESS TOWARDS SMALL-HOLDER CERTIFICATION AS EUREPGAP COMPLIANT AND PERFORMANCE AUDITED 8
Choice of Quality System Standards 8
Dragon Sruit Quality Manual 9
Stakeholder Skill Sevelopment 9
Associated Dragon fruit GAP Project 11
3 BASIC ANALYSIS OF SMALL-HOLDER, AND EXPORTER FINANCIAL BENEFITS 13
APPENDIX 1 14
Benchmarking Questionnaire 14
APPENDIX 2 21
VNCI Certification 21
Trang 3BACKGROUND
The implementation of the dragon fruit GAP project has been based on the development of people’s skills in good agricultural practices (GAP) principles The people targeted have been: project personnel stationed at Southern Fruit Research Institute (SOFRI) and other SOFRI staff, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) personnel in the two project responsibility provinces, dragon fruit exporters, packers and dragon fruit farmers both small and large holders (with priority given the project document requirement of addressing small-holders)
The national capability has been developed by the project in a sustainable way and there has been an increasing awareness, understanding and confidence in GAP principles, especially in the project national team, which has been evident in their subsequent achievements
At the commencement of the project implementation, a benchmarking survey to define baselines for GAP being applied at the small farmer level was undertaken 126 small-holder farms were surveyed in the Binh Thuan province and 30 small-holder farms were also surveyed in the Tien Giang Province
The purpose of the benchmarking survey was to define the level of operations on the holder farms compared with the documented standards of Euro-Retailer Produce Working Group; Good Agricultural Practice (EUREPGAP) EUREPGAP was chosen as the standard
small-by which the farms would be compared, as this is the minimum standard that is accepted small-by the high value markets of the United Kingdom and Europe and the standard the project initiatives would seek to attain
Some 92 questions, based on the EUREPGAP standard, were asked of the farmer (Appendix
1 – Benchmarking Questionnaire) by the Vietnamese project team and assisted by young scientists from SOFRI All data were subsequently translated into English, entered into a specially prepared database and analysed by HortResearch personnel A Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® presentation (Refer to August 2006 Project Report: Appendix 2) was prepared
by HortResearch and delivered to SOFRI staff and to DARD staff, packers and farmers of the Binh Thuan Province by the project leader during his March 2006 visit
The benchmarking database is held at SOFRI and portions of the database and Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® presentation have subsequently been used by SOFRI personnel for training and research purposes in dragon fruit and other crops
Observations and feedback from the benchmarking, survey preparations, implementation, and interpretation of the data collected, gave an early indication that a demonstration model to show and prove the viability of Good Agricultural Practices in the dragon fruit industry was needed before small-holders would respond to project initiatives for them to adopt GAP (the many constraints preventing small-holder farmers from adopting GAP have been documented
in the project regular reporting)
Trang 4Figure 1 Benchmarking survey, questionnaire testing with small-holder dragon fruit
farmers
A commercial model “Pilot” of dragon fruit exporter, packer, large farm and small-holders has been systematically developed by the project and is close to meeting the selected quality system standards
The pilot model was set up for two main purposes:
1 To prove the viability of the pilot when implementing GAP, quality systems and standards that would provide access to high value export markets
2 To establish the structure within the pilot that has a quality system embedded in the packhouse, to assist the small-holder dragon fruit farmer in implementing their quality systems, to provide uniformity of standards across the pilot, to be simple to operate, accurate and a low financial burden to operate
Following external audit and certification by a registered Certifying Body, the pilot will begin exporting to high value markets It is at this time that the true value and costs of GAP implementation will be defined It is expected that returns could be significant for the farmer and there will be little problem with attracting and holding the interest of the small and large holder at this time; indeed strong organisation of the industry and possible constraint could be required at a later date
This dragon fruit GAP project has placed great importance on a systematic delivery of the project objectives and the ultimate sustainability of the intended outcomes To address the three bullet points of this report, it is necessary to outline the technology transfer progression/evolution of GAP from the project, firstly into the host Vietnamese Institution, SOFRI, and then out to the wider dragon fruit industry When implementing a ‘people development’ project of this type, it is necessary/important to lift each prerequisite stage progressively to a high level of understanding prior to its replication and/or moving on to the next stage
Trang 51 DOCUMENTATION OF GAP APPLIED BY CLUSTER GROUP SMALL-HOLDERS
The following table documents the project training programme:
Stage Area Component Prerequisite Training Outcome
Responsiveness to change training
Ability to implement project obligations
Motivation to pass on knowledge gained
From project leader via mentoring, presentations, team interactions, etc
Learning from training delivery feedback
Networking
Study Tour: to New Zealand
Formal courses: e.g NZOQ Internal Auditor Course
Complete understanding of the dragon fruit crop
Being customer driven
Complete understanding of quality systems and their implementation to the level of the adopted standards
Peer recognition as experts in the field
Respect for their competence in the project scope and nationally
Increased demand on their quality knowledge transfer
SOFRI Environment
SOFRI leadership is quality driven
SOFRI Leadership has set up a strong quality environment at the institute
SOFRI staff quality motivated
Project leader presentations
All SOFRI staff are on the path to GAP learning and application/support
Respect for Dr Chau has facilitated the smooth establishment of the project’s commercial “Pilot” and
a start to national infrastructure development to support the high quality dragon fruit industry
2 Project
delivery
Benchmarking survey
Project team with the necessary understanding and skills
Test sample
Training of young scientists
Conducting the survey
Learning through listening and observing
Documentation of the GAP status of small-holder farms in relation to the EUREPGAP Standard
Selection of farmers with project delivery potential
Increased GAP understanding and capability of SOFRI and DARD staff
Identification of a suitable packer/exporter for project GAP intervention
Trang 6Stage Area Component Prerequisite Training Outcome
Small-holder GAP project intervention
Competent project team and trainers with the necessary understanding and skills
Willingness to learn GAP principles
Have access to necessary resources to make the physical changes needed
Have the ability to understand and implement GAP
GAP benefits extolled during the benchmarking survey
Farmer group training through discussions, Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® presentations, demonstration, etc
Individual farmer training through discussions, farm mapping, and requirements needed to meet the standards, etc
HACCP surveys and training
Health and Safety training
Risk analysis and documentation
Safe use of agrichemicals
An increase in GAP understanding by small-holder dragon fruit farmers
Initial training presented to a wide range of farmers previously selected through the benchmarking survey and DARD personnel
Workable alternatives to small-holder farmers’ lack of commitment to take their level of GAP to the customer driven standards of EUREPGAP
Project continues to recruit small-holder farmers for GAP intervention as they increasingly become committed
Small-holder farmers are ready to flock to the GAP production of dragon fruit following proof of viability
as demonstrated by the project pilot
Infrastructure development
Prerequisites for a dynamic quality driven dragon fruit industry include:
Certified laboratory services for soil, leaf, water analysis
Safe use of agrichemicals
First Aid certification
in this area
Approved/certified/appropriate providers to service the quality needs of the dragon fruit industry to the standards demanded by the customer – BRC and EUREPGAP
A competitive market for the service providers to ensure costs to the farmer are kept to a sustainable minimum
A strong quality-driven, organised dragon fruit industry is established
Pilot development
A commercial packer/exporter of dragon fruit that has the resources, desire, skills and attitude to adopt the changes necessary to comply with the selected quality standards
Quality advice for the
Identification and project selling to the packer/exporter –
an education/negotiation process
Mutual respect between pilot and project team, particularly with the packer
Identification of farmers for project quality intervention – farmers include large-holders
Pilot packer/exporter selected and agreement to cooperate with the project
Full cooperation by farmers with project team
Implementation of systems and advice delivery
Documented quality system developed – “Dragon
Trang 7Stage Area Component Prerequisite Training Outcome
packer/exporter to follow on its path to quality compliance – to work closely with the project team
Establishment of a documented quality system
A code of honesty, transparency and understanding
A willingness to take the lead in the quality development of the pilot and to fulfil the system responsibilities to the “supplier”
(small-holder)
Allow the project to have access
to all the data generated by the project initiative, for subsequent analysis and technology transfer
to other dragon fruit groups (and other crops)
and well as small-holders – an education/negotiation process
Define the existing processes and train for changes necessary
to facilitate compliance – general and very specific training
Train individuals and groups to
a level of proficiency for stakeholders to “understand”,
“control” and improve all processes continuously
Train the quality manager as leader of the “quality”
responsibilities and in the role
of self assessment (Internal Auditing)
fruit Quality Manual” in English and Vietnamese written and presented to pilot
Specific achievements in implementing the dragon fruit quality manual e.g Product traceability, quality control, etc
Physical changes made in the packhouse and on the farms and services to facilitate compliance issues as directed by the project team
Farm registration, location, mapping, documentation, etc
Supplier contract and schedule of costs agreed and signed between packer and farmer in compliance with the standards
Honest, transparent and customer-driven supply, grade, pack and postharvest chain
3 Marketing Identify High
Value Markets
That the pilot has attained compliance with the BRC and EUREPGAP Standards and operates at that level at all times
Train all pilot personnel to understand the processes, to keep those processes under control at all times and have the ability to improve them constantly
Train to be customer driven
Attain and maintain preferred supplier status with the customer and to work together
to resolve any issues jointly
BRC Global – Food Standards Certification at the packhouse: maintained
EUREPGAP Standards Certification for all supplying farms: maintained
Consistently high returns for product being exported
Access to top-end markets through providing product that is safe, legal, of the quality and presentation demanded by the customer
Good communication between customer, exporter, packer and farmer
4 Compliance External Audit Compliance of the pilot
confirmed by internal audit
Internal Auditor trained to the appropriate proficiency
Corrective action process and implementation
Good working relationships with Certifying Body
External audit completed
Corrective action implemented
Sign off of changes
BRC Global – Food Standards Certification at the packhouse
EUREPGAP Standards Certification for all supplying farms
Trang 8FARMER SELECTION
The project has continuously encouraged the forming of cluster groups of small-holder farmers and for them to receive project training support The project has continually included willing small-holder farmer individuals as well as cluster groups
During the benchmarking survey the opportunity was taken, when interviewing each farmer,
to discuss the “project”, identify areas for improvement on the property and discuss issues and concerns of the farmer During the survey, it was also a chance to identify farmers who would respond to the project initiatives with those identified being targeted to receive project GAP training
The survey identified that significant changes were needed right across the questionnaire scope to most properties, for them to be able to meet the standards of EUREPGAP
Indeed the benchmarking survey was the first project training initiative, as during the farmer interviews it was necessary to talk about GAP principles and how to achieve the necessary GAP standards as part of winning the farmer’s confidence, so that all questions could be answered in a relaxed and honest manner: some questions being of a sensitive nature for the farmer The benchmarking survey was an excellent chance for the project team to deliver the project intentions to the region and to gain an indication of the best approach for project delivery
The benchmarking survey preparation and implementation enabled the project leader to define GAP competence at all levels of the project scope and the most appropriate approach for implementing the project’s documented outcomes in a sustainable way
It was found that most farmers targeted in the survey did not have resources to make the necessary changes for them to comply with the standards Many farmers were found to be reliant on collectors to harvest and sell their dragon fruit The combination of small farm size, poor agronomic practices and the farmer being dependent on the collector for finance that could involve pre-harvest advance payment for the crop indicated to the project that it would
be difficult for the farmer to respond to the project GAP initiatives, no matter how strong the initial enthusiasm was No provision had been made either within or outside the project to provide the resources the farmer would require to make the changes It was also very difficult for the project to convince farmers with extremely limited resources to implement change when, because there was no precedent, the project could not guarantee that, until tested and confirmed, the farmer would increase profits from their dragon fruit crop
The project document scope determined that the poor farmer must be targeted for improvement However, it was found during the initial project training programmes that, after initial enthusiasm to make change by the poor farmers, they quickly lost interest and did not attend more ongoing GAP training sessions
SMALL-HOLDER SECTOR OF PROJECT PILOT GROUP ESTABLISHMENT
The project shifted its stance slightly by targeting farmers that had the willingness, ability and resources to exploit the project’s GAP training, to establish a pilot of a packer/exporter and a group of farmers that were serious about making the quality changes
Considerable urgency was placed on the establishment of the pilot The project has consistently extolled the benefits of GAP to the farmers in the areas of improved living
Trang 9to the standards required by the high value markets would more than offset the cost incurred
to implement the changes
In spite of the project negotiating a bonus incentive payment from the exporter/packer for GAP produced dragon fruit, the true return potential will only be realised following the actual production, grading, packing and export of dragon fruit through a certified system to high value markets
The project pilot consists of: a packer/exporter, up to three large farms and several smaller farms The farms are at varying stages of meeting compliance and the quality systems being established in the pilot are dynamic and can expand as new farms reach the minimum quality standards
The structure of the project pilot has been established so that farmers can join the pilot at any time, either as an individual or as a group, including cooperatives The farmers’ group, for the early part of the pilot establishment, is quite fluid with farmers intermittently attending the GAP training Serious farmers have made excellent progress towards meeting the EUREPGAP standards It is anticipated that when compliant dragon fruit is exported to high value markets and increased profit returns are advertised, there will be a surge of committed farmers willing to undertake the necessary changes to enable them to receive the same benefits
Figure 2 High quality dragon fruit packed for export: Exporter purchase order to farmer
Project initiatives and training are determined to develop the pilot that has robust, transparent and honest quality systems to demonstrate the advantages of GAP, to be very market driven and to provide a viable, sustainable and clear model for duplication to the wider dragon fruit industry and across to other crops
Trang 102 PROGRESS TOWARDS SMALL-HOLDER
CERTIFICATION AS EUREPGAP COMPLIANT AND PERFORMANCE AUDITED
CHOICE OF QUALITY SYSTEM STANDARDS
The quality standards of EUREPGAP at the farmer level and BRC Global - Food at the packer level were chosen to be implemented by the project These quality standards are very similar and compatible standards and are the minimum requirements for market access to the high value markets of Europe One of the key advantages of the two systems is to gain direct access to high value markets and prevent any product rework in the importing country
Management of the quality systems of the project pilot has been embedded in the packhouse under the control of the Quality Manager There are many advantages from having the quality system managed by the packhouse They include:
• The packer is market driven and can provide the vision, leadership and motivation to develop and maintain the full quality system so that it conforms with the standards at all times
• The packer can provide coordination of the quality systems from the field to the customer
• The packhouse requires a strong quality management system to meet the standards and these include many on-farm functions
• The packhouse quality manager can assist farmer’s quality obligations in areas where they are deficient This area is particularly important when lifting the GAP standards
at the small-holder level
• Distribution of technical information to the farmers in an accurate and systematic way
so all farmers are coordinated in their management and quality approach
• The operation is of a size that gives it the capability of contracting out to specialists for problem solving
• Bulk purchasing of consumables at discounted prices
• Provision of internal audit services at the packhouse and on the farm to enhance uniform operating standards and to ensure corrective action for non-conformities is undertaken and closed off
Trang 11managed at the packhouse and those costs can be spread over a large throughput of fruit
Figure 3 Spray diary auditing and farmer training in the pilot dragon fruit production
programme
DRAGON FRUIT QUALITY MANUAL
A dragon fruit quality manual has been developed by the project (Milestones # 4; Draft Manual and #8; Final Draft of GAP/EUREPGAP Manual) with the small-holder farmer section encompassed in the overall quality manual The farmer section documents the farmer
response to every EUREPGAP Standard Major, Minor and Recommended question
Figure 4 High quality dragon fruit
STAKEHOLDER SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Project training emphasis has been on improvement and development of understanding of all the stakeholders in the dragon fruit industry Delivery of training to the stakeholders has been
a mixture of: