Impact of Human Factors in Food Safety Management Systems

I know that people’s experience, knowledge and skills are crucial factors in the food safety management system effectiveness. You have to work with the competent people. In this sense, top management support and prioritization about the identification of the risks, making laboratory tests and taking preventive measures will add value added impact on the safety, traceability, and transparency. You have to design and develop a food safety risk management system from the farm to the fork. You have to create a clear job description and there should be an alignment between their responsibility and their authority. You have to protect the staff who report the non-compliance. Of course, you have to provide necessary resources, including infrastructure, laboratory equipment, supplies and consumables, clear procedures and training and apply cGMPs so that you can get the right information with the right results on time with high confidence.

A fear or cost saving culture may create failures in today’s internet world. Do you have food safety gaps/issues from the farm to the fork? How is your experience?

Create Sustainable Changes in Agribusiness Operations?

One of the pillars is to use CSA (Climate Smart Agriculture) practices and technologies. I have to say that farmers' priorities for the CSA are linked with prevailing climatic conditions of a particular location, socio-economic characteristics and willingness to pay for available CSA technologies. Of course, they will evaluate the potential benefits and costs of the CSA practices and technologies. Therefore, we have to consider and apply appropriate policies and programs that are site specific and relevant to the needs of the local farmers when we promote CSA practices and technologies.

The climate-friendly agricultural technologies, practices and services are the adaptation options and they sustainably increase agricultural productivity, enhance resilience to climatic stresses, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We have to consider many factors to achieve agricultural growth, productivity, ecosystem conservation, reducing carbon emission and increasing food quality and safety. This is a complex process and it needs great experience and know-how.

Now, let’s look at the options of the CSA management practices and/or technologies to be applied at farm-level:

· Smart water management

· Rainwater harvesting

· Smart drip irrigation

· Laser land levelling

· Furrow irrigated bed planting

· Drainage management

· Cover crops method

· Smart energy management

· Zero tillage/minimum tillage

· Smart nutrient management

· Site specific integrated nutrient management

· Green manuring

· Leaf color chart

· Intercropping with legumes

· Smart carbon management

· Agro forestry

· Concentrate feeding for livestock

· Hydroponic fodder

· Integrated pest management

· Smart whether management

· Climate smart housing for livestock

· Weather based crop agro-advisory

· Crop insurance

· Smart knowledge management

· Contingent crop planning

Did you design, develop and implement such drivers in your agribusiness operations? What are the results you achieved? Do yo need an Agribusiness Expert to develop and internationalize your agribusiness operations? Contact today.

Yusuf Tokdemir Senior Agriculture and Food Industry Expert

How to Create an Agribusiness that is Strong, Innovative and Sustainable?

Do you have challenges in the agribusiness industry and agricultural value chain development? In this context, we have to develop and implement new strategies, business models, operational capabilities and practices to respond to emerging trends in agribusiness and agricultural value chains to ensure food security and safety, growth, productivity and sustainability in the agrifood industry in alignment with the 2050’s circular and carbon neutral economy targets. We have to keep in mind that today agriculture occupies nearly 40% of the earth’s surface, crop irrigation accounts for 70% of global water use and agriculture contributes 11% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. For these reasons, we have to focus on the following agribusiness value drivers: 1. RECOVER from the impacts of climate change and challenges of the feeding a growing population, providing a livelihood for farmers, and protecting the environment through implementation of the Farm to Fork and Biodiversity strategies to produce clean, green and safe products. 2. GROW the value and output of agriculture through increased R&D, innovation, NPD, skills investment, diversified product portfolio, funding sources, internationalization and exports. 3. MODERNISE agriculture through innovation, future farming, advanced technologies and Agtech, and future skills. 4. APPLY gender-smart solutions and empower women farmers. 5. PROTECT and enhance the future of agriculture by ensuring it is well-placed to respond to climate change, droughts, pests, weeds, disease and increased resource scarcity. 6. ENSURE conservation of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 7. IMPROVE quality, safety and traceability. 8. APPLY long-term marketing and innovation strategy, promote and build confidence in agriculture sector in internationalization. 9. CREATE strategic domestic and international alliances. 10. GENERATE an image of transparency, trust and credibility. 11. APPLY commercialization strategies to facilitate market access for agricultural producers. 12. INTERNATIONALIZE agricultural operations in alignment with the internationally recognized regulations and GMPs, GAPs and other relevant best practices. How is your experience on these agribusiness value chain drivers? Do you need a consulting support?