Good Agriculture Practices audit training course to be held in Dominica

The OECS Commission in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) under the 10th EDF program, will be conducting a series of train the trainer programs in Good Agriculture Practices (GAP) Audit commencing in Dominica on March 30th at the Flamboyant Hotel.
According to a release, the course, which aims to provide an understanding of the key role of GAP auditing in improving farm operations and ensuring the safety of food produced will demonstrate the need to regularly assess farm management systems and practices and to measure performance. The course will also outline different approaches to establishing GAP audit programs, describe the key stages of audit planning and preparation; on-site activities and post audit reporting. It will also examine the skills and techniques required to carry out effective audits. 
The GAP audit training course is designed for extension officers and private sector stakeholders along the value chain in the OECS and will enable them to assist farmers in attaining high standards of food safety and quality performance. In particular, the extension officers and private sector stakeholders will receive training in conducting gap audits of farms with the ultimate goal of allowing these farms (or produce from the farm) to be certified based on an appropriate system for inspection and certification.
The three day training program which runs to April 1st 2016 includes classroom sessions the practical exercise of auditing a selected farm. This training will also be held in St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, Antigua & Barbuda, and St. Vincent & the Grenadines.