https://iaf.news/2024/09/19/the-first-shoots-of-globalg-a-p-in-kazakhstan/
Shoots of GLOBALG.A.P. in Kazakhstan
Elena Trifonova Press Secretary NCA
Dastan Moldybaev Assessor NCA
Geography defines biography. This postulate can also be applied to use of the GLOBALG.A.P. standard in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The country’s agricultural producers have historically exported their products in areas where there is no practical application and understanding of certification principles according to GLOBALG.A.P., therefore, they are slow to respond to the introduction of this exemplary trend. At the same time, the National Center of Accreditation, as an IAF MLA signatory, has persisted in promoting the standard among the economic entities of Kazakhstan, which has recently begun to bear fruit.
According to official statistics, cereals predominate in the export of agricultural products fr om Kazakhstan, the share of which is 2.77% in the export structure. Also, Kazakhstan supplies flour, sunflower oil and cotton fiber to foreign markets. Kazakh agricultural products are exported to almost 70 countries today. However, for a state wh ere corn, buckwheat, rice, oilseeds, sugar beet, grapes, melons, apples, potatoes and cotton are grown on an industrial scale, on the basis of which canned food, juices, and high-quality dairy products are produced, the potential of agricultural export opportunities is far from exhausted. Considering the ecological purity and good taste of Kazakhstani products, their export to China and the European Union (EU) can be significantly increased.
To be included in this segment necessitates a GLOBALG.A.P. certificate from an accredited certification body. These are the requirements of retailers in the European Union. It is important that Kazakhstan’s largest neighbour and economic partner, China, demands the GLOBALG.A.P. certification for any agricultural products imported into the country.
Taking into account these factors, since 2020, NCA has conducted numerous seminars, technical visits and trainings, including at agricultural enterprises; four accreditation assessors have been trained; explanatory work has been carried out with training centers in the field of technical regulation on the need for training in the requirements of GLOBALG.A.P.; and other measures. As a result, two agricultural producers: a greenhouse complex in Almaty for growing vegetables and a horticultural farm in the Almaty region for growing apples have been certified according to GLOBALG.A.P. standards by a foreign certification body. This was the first, but we are sure not the last, achievement of Kazakhstan on the basis of GLOBALG.A.P. certification.
Of course, the purpose of NCA regarding GLOBALG.A.P. is accreditation of the Kazakh certification body on GLOBALG.A.P. and an increase in the number of competent experts according to these standards.
NCA continues to maintain the promotion of GLOBALG.A.P. on its list of priorities. In August, under the auspices of NCA, 17 experts: employees of standardization, certification and accreditation bodies, representatives of retail chains and the association of producers underwent 4-day training on the current 6th version of the GlobalG.A.P., IFA, FV standard in the module Crop Production – Fruits, Vegetables. The seminar was conducted by GLOBALG.A.P. Technical Key account manager, and representative in Central Asia, Edite Strazdina.
‘Those 17 people who have completed the training can become registered trainers for GLOBALG.A.P. To receive a trainer’s certificate, they must pass the exam at the end of the seminar with at least 80% correct answers, and this is very difficult. Then the participants can register on the website https://www.globalgap.org as certified trainers and be able to incorporate the acquired knowledge, ensuring promotion of GLOBALG.A.P. in Kazakhstan,’ said E. Strazdina.
Being committed to the values of GLOBALG.A.P., NCA believes that the philosophy and approaches of IFA v6 Smart are suitable for most manufacturers and can help the growing Kazakh economy conquer new markets. Therefore, the NCA does not intend to stop work on overcoming obstacles to the application of GLOBALG.A.P. in Kazakhstan.