Mapa delivers first Term of Recognition of Good Agricultural Practices to the cocoa production chain

The Cocoa Sustainability Curriculum Program received, on Friday (23/09), recognition as a promoter of Good Agricultural Practices from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, through the Secretariat of Innovation, Sustainable Development and Irrigation (SDI/ Map). The Term of Recognition was published in the Official Gazette of the Union and delivered by SDI during the 5th Annual Cocoa Forum - CocoaAction Brasil, held in Belém (PA).

Cocoa is the first production chain to receive this recognition, given to programs that promote the supply of safe food, in order to take care of human health, protect the environment and improve the conditions of rural workers and their families. It is expected that other crops will receive it by the end of the year, such as coffee and soybeans.

According to the Curriculum, producers who adopt effectively sustainable practices in their production system have the opportunity to obtain better financial results as well, since efficient resource management saves inputs, improves the productivity and quality of almonds, and allows control of production costs. 

Good Agricultural Practices are the set of principles, standards and technical recommendations applied in the stages of production, processing and transport of food and non-food plant products. The Recognition Term is a guarantee that the programs promote good agricultural practices and meet the minimum requirements established by Mapa for public and private entities, under the terms of Ordinance No. 337.

Minimum requirements for recognizing the adoption of these practices in the primary stage of the agricultural production chain are the planning and management of rural establishments; organization and hygiene in rural establishments; compliance with current environmental and labor legislation; plant nutrition, fertility and soil conservation; the rational use and quality of water; the correct use of inputs; integrated pest management; and traceability of the production process with production records and controls.

To have the good practices program recognized and endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture, interested public and private entities must file the Declaration with the Ministry. Adherence to the program is voluntary and interested parties must make a self-declaration claiming that they are suitable according to Ordinance 337. After submission, the documentation will be analyzed by the Secretariat of Innovation, Sustainable Development and Irrigation (SDI/Mapa).

Cocoa Sustainability Curriculum Program

In a collective elaboration throughout 2021, the Cocoa Sustainability Curriculum counts on the participation of the entire chain: federal government and state governments, industries, producer representatives, cooperatives, technical assistance and rural extension services, institutes, associations, professional associations, certifications, among other relevant actors. 

With the aim of being a sustainability reference for cocoa producers, technicians and institutions seeking continuous improvement in production, the material aims to reduce the negative impacts arising from the activity. In addition to being informative, it contains content on good agricultural and property management practices, with a focus on sustainable actions.

The document was also based on several existing materials, such as the Manual of Good Practices of the Executive Committee of the Cocoa Farming Plan - CEPlac, Integrated Production, as well as codes, standards and programs from entities in the sector and partners of the CocoaAction Brasil initiative .

Safe and quality food

In July of this year, the Ordinance No. 448 which established the procedure for submitting the necessary documentation for the recognition of programs aimed at promoting good agricultural practices. The document also regulated the Ordinance No. 337, published in 2021, which establishes minimum requirements and recognizes programs to promote good agricultural practices in Brazil, in the primary stage of the agricultural production chain, applied by public and private entities in the national territory.

The objective of the ordinance is to encourage the production of safe and quality food, promote actions aimed at improving the quality of food production, in addition to promoting sustainable agricultural production practices and encouraging improvements in the quality of life of the rural population.