Jain G.A.P. aligns with Global G.A.P for ensuring global food safety

• Jain G.A.P to ensure food safety and sustainability standards along the entire supply chain
• Jain G.A.P. is the first initiative in Indian agriculture to ascertain good farming practices 
• A cost effective practice catering to small & marginal farmers in India, Jain G.A.P. began registration of their farms in the Global G.A.P. system since 2009

Jain G.A.P, a sub-set standard of Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd (JISL) has been recognized by GLOBAL G.A.P for providing Good Agricultural Practices for Small & Marginal Farmers across the world. Jain G.A.P will now serve as entry level standard for future Global G.A.P adaption for small farmers.

The initiation of Jain Good Agriculture Practice (Jain G.A.P) is an innovative approach for small farmers in India. It was recognized by GLOBALG.A.P at the Food Forum India 2010 event held on March 05, 2010. Jain G.A.P has been reviewed by GLOBAL G.A.P and JISL’s intent for eventual GLOBALG.A.P certification. It is a country level scheme which is 1st of its kind initiative in the corporate agriculture sector in India.

For the development of Jain G.A.P, Jain Irrigation had signed a cooperation agreement with International Finance Corporation (IFC) as also to run the pilot project with technical contractual support, evaluation and monitoring of the Jain G.A.P. Jain G.A.P. was introduced with an aim to build a cost effective standard by providing higher compliance to food-safety and other standards without adding to costs significantly.

Commenting on this D.N. Kulkarni, President, Sustainable Agriculture for Small Holders, Jain Irrigation “We have developed Jain G.A.P to meet customer requirements by establishing food safety and sustainability standards along the entire supply chain. Jain Irrigation perceives compliance to supply-chain food-safety standards as a potential future requirement for business continuity with its major institutional buyers in the country and abroad”.

Jain G.A.P also covers the process from farm inputs through all farm activities till the produce leaves the farm.  Presently this practice has been undertaken by farmers who are currently under contract with Jain Irrigation. Jain G.A.P is beneficial to farmers in the following ways:

• Sustainability in farm operations, receipt of quality inputs 
• Reduce food safety risks
• Reduce cost of compliance
• Provision of independent verification
• Compliance with National Legislation
• Technical & support service
• Better marketability

About Jain Irrigation (www.jains.com)
Jain Irrigation is a diversified Company with more than 6,000 employees and a product portfolio encompassing Irrigation Products, Piping Products, Plastic Sheets, Dehydrated Foods, Fruit Puree and Juice concentrates. Jain Irrigation has pioneered drip irrigation for small farmers in India and has a major market share in one of the fastest growing irrigation markets in the world and is also the second largest drip irrigation Company in the world.

About Global G.A.P (www.globalgap.org)
GLOBALGAP is a private sector body that sets voluntary standards for the certification of agricultural products around the globe. The GLOBALGAP standard is primarily designed to reassure consumers about how food is produced on the farm by minimizing detrimental environmental impacts of farming operations, reducing the use of chemical inputs and ensuring a responsible approach to worker health and safety as well as animal welfare.