Helping African farmers export to Europe

Private sector companies (in particular through EurepGAP) and regulatory bodies are increasing their requirements for adherence to food safety standards and inspection systems. Of particular concern are new EU food control regulations that will oblige developing country governments to provide relevant information to EU member states to allow them to assess whether the exporting country has the necessary legislation and adequate control systems in place to control the compliance of their private sector producers with EU food safety and hygiene laws. These regulations foresee the establishment of national control plans on the lines of those established in EU member countries. This will place considerable technical and financial demands on producer-country governments and their agricultural sector, particularly on small-scale producers and the services that support them. Unless the implications of both trade and formal regulation are addressed, the capacity of African countries to secure and expand market opportunities into the future will be at risk.

NRI has been working with African partners to create a fully integrated institutional framework of farmers, support-service organizations, primary marketing organizations, and exporters, in order to create sustainable systems for compliance with international trade regulations.

Achievements have included:

• farm management systems that reduce compliance costs and increase buyers’ confidence in the scheme by reducing the risks that EU buyers associate with fresh produce grown by small-scale farmers;
• pilot initiatives in a number of countries to develop replicable systems suitable for small-scale farmers to enable them to reach the standards required for EurepGAP certification;
• development of improved standards and operating procedures for small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe (nearly 200 small-scale farmers participated in the programme);
• training programmes in safe and effective use of crop protection products for farmers and for primary and secondary agrochemical dealers;
• a novel training approach based on ‘peer educators’, to enable farmers, farm supervisors and commercial extension workers to increase the capability of their own workforce in food safety and personal hygiene equivalent to international standards;
• small-scale farmers in Zambia and Uganda reaching the standard required for EurepGAP certification;
• improved standards and operating procedures for small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe;
• systems for internal auditing of small-scale export horticulture schemes;
• safe and hygienic fresh produce able to meet UK public health authority specifications
• cost-benefit analysis of smallholder procurement systems.

Selected Publications

Graffham, A. J. (2004). European Food Standards, Issues Of Compliance And Market Access For Ghana’s Export Horticulture Sector.  Advisory report for FAO/World Bank Cooperative Programme.  70 pp.

Graffham, A. J., Legge, A. and Humphries, G. (2005). Promoting improved food safety management for small-scale farmers involved in horticultural exports.  Technical report.  Natural Resources Institute, United Kingdom.  84 pp.

Graffham, A. and MacGregor, J. (2006) Impact of EurepGAP on small-scale growers of fruits and vegetables in Zambia.  http://www.agrifoodstandards.net/

Graffham, A., Karehu, E., and MacGregor, J. (2006) Impact of EurepGAP on access to EU retails markets by small-scale growers of fruits and vegetables in Kenya.
http://www.agrifoodstandards.net/